Duchess Sophie makes rare comment on son James

The Duchess of Edinburgh has shared a rare and heartfelt comment about her son, James, the Earl of Wessex. 

Reflecting on a deeply moving moment from 2022, Sophie opened up about the vigil her two children participated in at Westminster Hall, standing watch over the coffin of their grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

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Asked about how she felt watching both her children, who were the late Queen's two youngest grandchildren, according to The Telegraph, Sophie said: "It was incredibly moving."

The royal mum, who turned 60 on Monday, spoke about the touching moment during her recent visit to L'Arche London, which is a community learning disability team. 

Sophie added that she felt "just so proud of them" - not only James and Lady Louise Windsor but "all of the cousins," including Prince William and Prince Harry.

Initially, Sophie admitted, she wondered whether it was "appropriate" for James to take part, given that he was younger than the other cousins. However, she shared that her son had been eager to participate. 

"He was really keen to do it," she revealed. "And I think it was really important for him to do it, and obviously for Louise as well." 

She added: "I was slightly holding my breath, wanting them to feel that they'd done it well more than anything else. "I wasn't worried about anything happening; it was more that I wanted them to feel that they'd done their bit for their grandmother." 

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Becoming emotional, Sophie continued: "It was incredibly moving, and lovely to see her surrounded by them." 

Unlike other royal children, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie have kept their young family out of the spotlight as they grew up. 

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Although James is younger than his sister, Lady Louise, he inherited the title of Viscount Severn. This is due to the ancient law of primogeniture, which traditionally grants titles to the eldest male heir. As a result, while Louise holds the courtesy title of Lady, she is not styled as a Viscountess. 

James's title changed to Earl of Wessex in May 2023 when his father, Prince Edward, became Duke of Edinburgh. 

Neither James nor his sister have 'HRH' titles, a decision by their parents to enable them to lead more normal lives, with the potential to work for a living.