It is not on daily basis that you just hear you are about to get the Queen of England as an in-law, so Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh’s dad was suitably flabbergasted when he heard the information
Though she will be able to hint her household line again to King Henry IV of England, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh loved a solidly upper-middle class upbringing in in Brenchley, Kent.
Her father, Christopher Bournes Rhys-Jones, loved outside life, and was a eager hunter and fisherman. He was additionally, says writer Sean Smith, eager on “the indoor pursuit of a very good gin and tonic, which had all the time been de rigueur in Brenchley society.”
He usually waited till nicely into the afternoon for a tipple, however there was one exception, Sean notes in his new e book, Sophie: Saving the Royal Household. The author revealed: “When Sophie dropped the bombshell that she was going out with Prince Edward, her father memorably remarked, ‘It was the primary time in my life that I wanted a gin and tonic earlier than ten o’clock’.”
Christopher and his spouse Mary rapidly grew to become well-liked figures within the little Kent village. One in all their mates, native farmer Michael Noakes, mentioned: “We all the time tease those who it’s a must to be right here for twenty-five years earlier than you’re accepted. However this isn’t so. When you combine simply you’re accepted immediately. Christopher and Mary had been well-liked fairly early on.”
Sophie inherited their easygoing natures, a attribute that served her nicely when, after ending her research at West Kent School, Tonbridge, she launched into a profession in PR.
She labored for quite a few firms, together with 4 years at Capital Radio. It was whereas she was with the station, travelling to a roadshow journey to Spain, {that a} playful {photograph} was taken exhibiting Sophie along with her bikini undone as she sat subsequent to DJ, and later Who Desires To Be A Millionaire? presenter, Chris Tarrant.
After it was introduced that Sophie was engaged to Prince Edward, a colleague of Tarrant’s tried to promote the picture to the press, reportedly demanding £100,000 for it. After the snap was revealed in The Solar newspaper, Buckingham Palace described it as “premeditated cruelty” and made a proper criticism to the Press Complaints Fee.
An outraged Chris Tarrant, responding to insinuations that he’d had an affair with Sophie Rhys-Jones, as she then was, instructed his listeners: “There was by no means, ever the slightest trace of romance between Sophie and myself, not to mention these snidey insinuations.
“No person dares arise and say it outright as a result of it might be actionable. I, after all, am taking authorized motion right this moment. I’ve seen my solicitors, I’ve already spoken to them earlier than this programme at 6am this morning.”
Describing himself as “sickened” by the intrusion, Tarrant added: “Depart Sophie alone. Cease making an attempt to dig grime up since you will not discover any. Edward and Sophie are getting married, they’re a cheerful younger couple in love. They have not achieved any hurt to anyone and there are not any skeletons within the cabinet.
“Cease making an attempt to destroy them earlier than they’ve began their life collectively – have not you learnt something from the dying of Princess Diana?”
The one who took that fateful picture ended up dropping their job, and having to depart the nation, consequently. Radio presenter Kara Noble, who had labored at capital alongside Chris Tarrant, later mentioned: “I realise I made the largest mistake and essentially the most public mistake one may ever make. If I might guessed the result there is no such thing as a method I’d have allowed it to occur,” she admitted.
Following the scandal, Nobel was sacked as co-host of Coronary heart 106.2FM’s breakfast present, and left for California, the place she pursued a profession as a voiceover artist.
Sophie: Saving the Royal Household by Sean Smith revealed by Sphere is offered in Hardback, eBook and audio £25
