Sophie, Duchess Of Edinburgh, Lives A Lavish Lifestyle
It should come as no great surprise that Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, lives a pretty lavish life. She is, after all, a member of the royal family. The wife of Prince Edward, Sophie's life is filled with luxury — from her giant royal mansion to her pricey designer wardrobe to her idyllic vacations.
However, Sophie didn't always live a life of luxury. In fact, as a child, her life was fairly ordinary. She grew up in a middle class family in the small village of Brenchley. Her family home was a quaint four-bedroom farmhouse. As a young woman, she moved to an apartment in London with a friend, before she moved to Tonbridge to train as a secretary. She went on to work in public relations.
After Sophie and Edward married in 1999, her life turned upside down. Let's take a peek inside the lavish royal life of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
Her wardrobe is seriously impressive
One of the biggest perks of being a royal has to be the clothes. Members of the royal family have plenty of opportunities to get dressed up — galas, events, premieres — and over the years, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has built up a pretty enviable wardrobe. In 2015, she wore a Diane von Furstenburg dress along with a Helmut Lang jacket. She accessorized with Prada shoes and Monica Vinader earrings. Altogether, the Daily Mail estimated this one outfit was worth over £1,200 ($1,500).
Sophie tends to stick to the royal dress code for official events and appears to share a few favorite designers with fellow royal Kate Middleton. For instance, both have been spotted in Emilia Wickstead, Suzannah, Alexander McQueen, and Erdem. In other words, Sophie has very good style. Her influences? "Angelina Jolie — I always think she looks amazing — and also Queen Rania of Jordan always looks stunning," the royal said during an interview for London Fashion Week in 2021. No wonder her wardrobe is so impressive!
Her jewelry collection is worth £3 million
In addition to her designer-filled wardrobe, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is also the proud owner of a very, very pricey jewelry collection. According to James Constantinou, founder of Prestige Pawnbrokers, her collection might be worth over £3 million ($3.8 million). Among her pieces is the Anthemion tiara, which she wore on her wedding day. It is reportedly worth £1 million. She also frequently wears a necklace that features the initials of her husband and two children. "[I]t would be fair to say that a piece such as this with its royal connection along with added historic value could be worth in excess of £250,000," said Constantinou to the Express.
However, some of Sophie's jewels are fairly controversial. Apparently, Sophie accepted two extravagant sets of jewels from the Bahraini royal family. Former Foreign Office Minister Denis MacShane said that Sophie should give up the jewels for a good cause. "Given the appalling suffering and repression of the Bahraini people, it would be a fitting gesture for the Countess of Wessex to auction these trinkets and distribute the proceeds to the victims of the regime," he said, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has the most expensive engagement ring
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, may have a covetable jewelry collection, but there is one particular piece — one she wears every single day — that blows all of her other accessories out of the water. Yes, we are talking about her engagement ring. The royals are known for going all out when it comes to engagement rings. Queen Elizabeth II, for instance, was given a ring set with 11 diamonds, while Princess Diana wore a ring set with a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire. However, it turns out Sophie might have the most valuable ring of all.
Sophie's ring is more delicate and unassuming than Diana's, but apparently, it came with a huge price tag. "This royal's 2.05-carat, white gold engagement ring is thought to be the most expensive royal engagement ring ever purchased, with an estimated value of £105,000," said Alison Cooper, CEO of Alicia J Diamonds to the Express. As Cooper explained, the ring features three diamonds — an oval cut in the center and two heart shaped diamonds on each side.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, goes on some lavish royal holidays
Like most royals, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, gets plenty of opportunities to jet off on lavish vacations in between her royal duties. In 2014, for instance, Sophie and her family spent the summer relaxing in Espalmador, an island off the coast of Ibiza. Sophie was pictured relaxing with her family on the beach during the vacation.
In 2019 and 2023, Sophie and her family hit the slopes at the luxurious Corviglia Ski Club in Switzerland, a private members only ski club often frequented by the royals. In 2022, Sophie, her husband, Prince Edward, and their two children took a trip to Corfu, Greece. Apparently, the family visited the local Taverna Galini in Agios Stefanos almost every night. Of course, like other members of the royal family, Sophie and Edward also spend a lot of their holidays with extended family in Balmoral, the luxurious royal estate in Scotland.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, attends numerous lavish royal events
While Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, goes on her fair share of personal vacations with her family, she's also invited to take part in plenty of official royal events — both in the U.K. and abroad. Sophie has attended numerous royal banquets, garden parties, premieres, and charity galas. In fact, her life seems to be an endless series of glamorous events.
Sophie has also attended plenty of glitzy events during her royal trips abroad, too. In 2023, the duchess paid a solo visit to Canada, where she went to a winery and attended a glamorous dinner at Niagara on the Lake. That year, Sophie also visited South America, where she visited the city's cultural center for dance and choreography. A year earlier, she and her husband spent time in the Caribbean. Their tour included meeting locals and viewing performances. Back in 2018, the pair visited Sri Lanka, where they opened a school and met with fans.
She lives in a mansion with 120 rooms
Although Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, spends much of her time traveling around the world, when she's at home, her life is just as luxurious. Sophie and her husband, Prince Edward, live at Bagshot Park, a huge royal estate in Surrey. The home was given to the couple by the late Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift in 1999. The property sits on 51 acres of land and has an estimated 120 rooms — not too shabby! According to Hello! the home is thought to be worth around £30 million ($38 million).
According to Historic England, the house is "in Tudor Gothic style, built of bright red brick with stone dressings and a slate roof, on an irregular plan with a central tower." The grounds include a pool, a terrace, and a tennis court, along with extensive manicured gardens.
While we don't know too much about the interior of the house, the couple filmed several videos within their home during the pandemic, revealing antique decor, expensive paintings, expansive rooms, and (at least) two kitchens. In a portrait taken in their home for The Telegraph, the pair sit in a luxurious conservatory with views to their sprawling gardens.
She has a secret second home on her property
As if one 120-room mansion wasn't enough, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, also has access to a second home on her property. According to Hello! part of Prince Edward's lease of Bagshot Park includes access to Sunningdale Lodge, which sits within the boundaries of the estate right next to the main gated entrance. There is apparently another house, known as Station Lodge, located at the second entrance to the property, but it's unknown whether this house is in working order is unknown (as is whether Edward and Sophie's lease includes access to it). The magazine guessed that the royal couple probably used the second home as a guest suite for visitors — even though they certainly have enough room to host within their primary residence!
According to Historic England, "its architecture [reflects] that of the main house." And according to Wales Online, the property also includes access to the block of stables on the grounds, in addition to this extra guest house.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, had an extremely extravagant wedding
Naturally, royal weddings are never simple affairs. Most royals tie the knot in lavish ceremonies in London's Westminster Abbey in front of hundreds of famous guests while crowds of thousands wait outside hoping to catch a glimpse of the couple. For Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Prince Edward, it was no different.
Sophie wore pearl earrings and a matching necklace, which had been commissioned by Edward as a wedding gift. She also wore a stunning gown by Samantha Shaw, which was covered in delicate rows of pearl and crystal beading — 325,000 of them to be exact, according to the Express. As designer Shaw explained to Tatler, the dress was actually designed to conceal a second, secret dress. "There was an evening dress under the coat dress, which was to remain super private for the evening dinner, and I had to get the fabric perfectly dyed to color-match the beautiful stone of St. George's Chapel."
She has a private chef and plenty of servants
As a member of the royal family, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, doesn't do many domestic chores — instead, she has a large staff to help around the house (a housekeeper, two maids, a gardener, and office personnel — it's a pretty big house, after all!). Back in 2020, the Daily Mail reported that she and Prince Edward were hiring a cook on a £23,000-a-year salary ($29,000). "As the primary Cook in the Household of TRH the Earl and Countess of Wessex, you will be responsible for the planning, preparation, and cooking of daily meals. You will also monitor and replenish food supplies and equipment for the household," read the job listing. The cook would also be responsible for cooking for events and parties.
In 2022, the couple also put out an ad for a program coordinator — essentially, an assistant to help with the "planning, coordination, and circulation of Their Royal Highnesses' official programs and briefing materials" (via Hello!).
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, used to go on weekly riding trips with the Queen
For most people, meeting the queen (or king) is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. However, for Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, it's just a normal part of everyday life. In fact, before the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, Sophie went on weekly riding trips with the monarch.
Apparently, the tradition began after Sophie learned to ride in order to bond with the queen. "Sophie set herself a series of tasks. She learned how to ride properly and now rides with the queen at least once a week," said a friend of the duchess to The Standard.
After the queen's husband, Prince Philip, died in 2021, Sophie spent even more time with the queen. "Since the duke's death in April, Sophie has driven the 10 miles from her Bagshot Park home to Windsor Castle every few days and most weekends to spend socially distanced time with Her Majesty," royal expert Duncan Larcombe said to The Sun.
She loves to enjoy fine wines
How does Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, like to unwind at the end of a long day of royal duties? With a glass of fine wine, naturally. "Her diet consists of predominantly natural, unprocessed foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, fish, olive oil, and moderate amounts of red wine," said personal trainer Jeremiah Daniel to the Express.
Naturally, Sophie had to pay a visit to a local winery during her 2023 trip to Canada. Plus, back in 2014, Sophie and Prince Edward paid a visit to the Three Choirs Vineyards in Newent, England, where she looked very happy to sample the British wines on offer.
Sophie also has expensive taste when it comes to gin — her favorite is allegedly Silent Pool, which she told the owner she "loved" (via Express). She is, it seems, less of a fan of whiskey. In 2021, she visited a health food market in Northern Ireland where she sampled a whiskey — and was caught on video struggling to get it down. "That's quite strong!" she said, laughing (via Daily Mail).
She has received and given a number of impressive royal gifts over the years
The royals are known to give surprisingly down-to-earth, personalized gifts to their loved ones. "Typically, they buy things that are cheap and make people laugh," said Hello! royal editor Emily Nash on the magazine's "A Right Royal Podcast." "[I]t's not about big lavish presents, it's about winding someone up in many cases."
Nevertheless, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has both given and received a few pricier gifts in her time as a royal. For her wedding, the Queen Mother gave Sophie her bejeweled hair clip. In 2019, she was given a Patronage by Prince Philip — the Patronage of the Chartered Management Institute, which was considered a great honor. In 2022, the late Queen Elizabeth II gifted Sophie another royal role, giving her one of the late Philip's royal roles.
She has also given her fair share of lavish gifts. For instance, in 2023, the Mirror reported that Sophie gave Kate Middleton a £325 ($413.31) jumpsuit. "My friend, a stylist, is best friends with Sophie Wessex, and Sophie buys from us," Donna Ida, the designer of the jumpsuit, said. "[Sophie] got our black Sadie jumpsuit for herself and then asked for one for Kate. She said 'Kate wants one, can I get one as well?'"
She had the help of two nannies while she raised her children
Motherhood is usually anything but glamorous — however, for members of the royal family, it seems a little easier. Apparently, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, had the luxury of not one but two nannies while she was raising her first child, Louise. While the two nannies were certainly extravagant, there was a reason — Sophie had had a traumatic experience during labor, losing a huge amount of blood, and while Louise was young, she was still in physical recovery.
Apparently, Sophie chose to employ nannies who trained at the famous Norland College. Kate Middleton later hired a nanny from the same college. As a source told the Mirror, Sophie had given Kate some nanny advice when she began her family — namely, that she needed as much help as she could get. "They both accept the view that they won't be able to do it all," said a source.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has the luxury of personal trainers and a home gym
Exercise may not seem like a luxury — but having access to the world's best trainers and equipment certainly is. And as a royal, that seems to be exactly what Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, gets to enjoy. According to a source at the Daily Mail, "Army personal trainers keep Sophie in peak fitness as she prepares. Though, having endured years of back pain, she also knows when to rest."
Although she may be whipped into shape by "army trainers," the duchess's exercise routine does sound pretty dreamy — and it all happens in the comfort of her own home. Her routine includes sessions with her personal cross-trainer, swims at her private pool, and runs around her beautiful estate grounds — "sometimes with [Prince] Edward." Sophie is also a big fan of Pilates, which she allegedly actually practices in public classes. Plus, she is also known to enjoy riding, cycling, and skiing.