Born Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones in August 1965, the countess hails from a “normal” family background.
Sophie, who married the Earl of Wessex in 1999 at St George's Chapel, was said to have even emerged as the Queen's "favourite". According to the Mirror, the relationship was said to have developed over the years, with both women supporting one another through periods of personal loss and becoming close confidants.
Prince Edward, 58, Earl of Wessex
Out of all of the kids, Prince Edward, now known as the Earl of Wessex, is believed to be the Queen and Prince Philip's favorite child. In fact, it was reported that Edward's portrait was the only one in Philip's study.
She was apparently the Queen's favourite grandchild
Lady Louise Windsor looked seriously chic at King Charles's Coronation today in a white floral dress and lilac fascinator. And everyone is eager to know more about her.
Parents: Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex
Lady Louise Windsor is the 19-year-old daughter of Edward and Sophie, and despite being 15th in line to the throne, she happened to be Queen Elizabeth's favorite grandchild (lol, sorry, Wills and Harry).
And the winner is… Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, youngest son of the Queen and Prince Philip. "Prince Edward, seemingly a bit wet and a tad irritating to the rest of us, was always his parents' favorite," says royal author Matthew Dennison.
While the Queen's affinity for Eugenie's mother Sarah Ferguson has wavered over the years, the monarch has always remained close with her granddaughter.
But there seems little doubt that her all-time favourite was her first prime minister, Winston Churchill, who greeted the young, distressed woman on her sudden return to Britain from Kenya on the death of her father, King George VI.
Many may assume Philip's favourite is Prince William, as a person who takes his role as future King seriously. However, royal experts seem to believe it's the youngest granddaughter of Philip and the Queen - Lady Louise Windsor.
The Queen's best friend Angela Kelly waves goodbye to Windsor home.
Peter, the Queen's eldest grandchild, keeps a low profile compared to his cousins Prince William and Prince Harry. He is the first grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip - and royal insiders claim he is the monarch's "favourite" grandson.
The Queen is said to have "adored" Sarah, and used to allow her niece to accompany her to her favourite hideaway, Craigowan Lodge, in Aberdeenshire. The pair grew closer after the death of Princess Margaret in 2002, with whom the Queen shared an incredibly strong bond.
“The countess, 57, will be handed a raft of the Queen's royal patronages as a gift from her beloved late 'Mama'.” A royal source told the Mirror that Sophie could take over patronages including the Women's Institute and Dogs Trust.
Sophie, who was said to have become Her Majesty's "second daughter" and her trusted confidante, was seen wiping away tears during the funeral. She shared a particularly close bond with the Queen, with them first striking up a close friendship when the Queen lost her sister, Princess Margaret.
The royal ladies have a strong bond. Share this: The Princess of Wales and the Countess of Wessex have formed an unbreakable bond, having both come from relatively modest backgrounds before they married into the royal family.
Who was it? It was in fact the 44th president, Barack Obama, who left such a strong impression on Queen Elizabeth. Her Majesty enjoyed Obama's company so much that she even requested that he keep coming to visit - despite not being president!
The pair who ruled during World War II enjoyed a deep and enduring friendship despite their differences. So strong was the relationship between the two that the Queen wrote the former Prime Minister a handwritten letter when he retired and broke protocol at his funeral.
Lady Hussey served as Queen Elizabeth's lady in waiting for more than 60 years and was appointed following the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960.
Enter Angela Kelly ‒ the queen's most loyal aide for the past three decades. She's also known as her hairdresser, dresser and “best friend”, as claimed by various media.
According to People, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess confirmed that the reigning monarch's grandson, Harry, was en route to Balmoral Castle but he didn't quite make it in time to say goodbye to his beloved grandmother before she died.
Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher, her prime minister from 1979 to 1990, had a turbulent relationship – both publicly and privately. 2 min. Between 1979 and 1990, the United Kingdom was not ruled by one woman, but by two.
Gary, or Gan-Gan
According to royal correspondent Richard Kay, Prince William was encouraged to call her Granny as a child, but he couldn't quite get the hang of it. What he could manage, was Gary. Kay said: "On another occasion, the Queen was on hand after William fell over at Buckingham Palace, bawling: 'Gary, Gary'.
And while Queen Elizabeth had a whole fleet of ladies-in-waiting throughout her reign—many of whom had been close with her for more than 60 years—apparently Queen Camilla is ditching the outdated tradition and instead having six assistants who will be known as “queen's companions,” according to reports from Today.