Sophie, the Countess of Wessex gets festive, hosts early Christmas dinner
The royal couple is finishing their engagements for the year ahead of joining Queen Elizabeth II in Sandringham for the Christmas celebrations.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward and Countess Sophie, rang into the holidays early with a Christmas dinner.
The royal couple is wrapping up their engagements before joining Queen Elizabeth II in Sandringham for the Christmas celebrations. The parents-of-two hosted a Christmas dinner at their mansion in Bagshot Park, Surrey on Wednesday, December 11, reports Hello!
The feast was held in aid of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, of which Prince Edward is a trustee, and the Women in Business Committee, of which Sophie is Chairperson. Commonly abbreviated DofE, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a youth awards programme founded by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1956. The Women in Business committee works to promote the Award. Prince Edward became a trustee of the charity in 1987, a year after achieving his own Gold Award in 1986.
Before hosting their Christmas dinner, Edward and Sophie also visited Westminster Abbey to attend a Service of Thanksgiving for the life and work of World War II veteran and royal navy benefactor Sir Donald Gosling. Other members of the Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Michael of Kent, attended the service on Wednesday.
The 54-year-old countess, who's married to Queen Elizabeth's youngest son Prince Edward, arrived for the thanksgiving service in a Navy chic ensemble. The royal member who is considered the favourite of the monarch selected a blue belted coat with flare sleeves and a dark cornflower blue pair of wide-legged trousers for the occasion. A matching top, hat, clutch, and black boots completed her look.
TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex arrive for the Sir Donald Gosling Service of Thanksgiving.
— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) December 11, 2019
The Countess read Isaiah 55: 6–13 during the service. pic.twitter.com/AEr3vthnNG
Sir Donald, who died in September at the age of 90, was a friend of the royal family through his association with the Royal Navy. He joined the Royal Navy in 1944 and served on the cruiser HMS Leander in the Mediterranean for two years after the war. He was a generous benefactor to naval charities and a trustee of the Fleet Air Arm Museum.
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