Happy 25th anniversary Prince Edward and Sophie! Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh married in a modest (by royal standards) ceremony at Windsor in 1999 – but now they are at the heart of the ‘slimmed down’ monarchy

Today, as Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie and Edward are trusted members of King Charles’ ‘downsized’ royal family.

The couple showed off their popularity this weekend when they did their bit amid the pomp and circumstance of Trooping the Colour.

But 25 years ago today, Edward – the late queen’s youngest son – married the then Sophie Rhys-Jones in a relatively modest ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

It took almost six years for the royal family to propose to the former PR consultant, whom he met at a tennis match in 1993.

When the couple’s engagement was announced in January 1999, Edward told reporters: “It’s impossible to understand why it took so long, but I don’t think it would have been right before, and I don’t think she would have said. Yes.’

He also emphasized that their marriage would be informal and not treated as a state affair.

Edward, now 60, commissioned jeweler Garrard, who also designed Princess Diana’s engagement ring, to create a breathtaking sparkler.

It featured a two-carat oval diamond set in white gold and flanked by two heart-shaped diamonds.

On her big day, Sophie, who is now 59, traveled to St George’s Chapel in a Rolls-Royce with her father, Christopher Rhys-Jones.

The car was originally presented to the Queen in 1978 on the occasion of her Silver Jubilee.

Sophie oozed elegance in a custom-made ensemble consisting of a jacket dress and an evening gown designed by Samantha Keswick (née Shaw).

Her long ivory coat dress had a deep V-neck, long sleeves and intricate beading around the neck, sleeves and train.

Hidden underneath was a silk dress with a corset, decorated with no less than 325,000 cut glass and pearl beads.

The designer, who created the outfit in four months, ensured the dress’s fabrics matched the stone of St George’s Chapel perfectly – and even made secret visits to the site for color coordination.

Ahead of her wedding day, Sophie appeared to drop subtle hints about her bridal look when she attended Samantha Shaw and David Keswick’s wedding in May 1999.

Sophie wore a lilac coat dress and a matching sheath dress, both designed by Shaw.

For her own wedding day, Sophie completed her look with the Anthemion tiara, her first piece from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection.

Complementing this royal accessory were pearl jewelry personally designed by her new husband, who commissioned Asprey and Garrard to create the pieces.

In return, Sophie had gifted Edward an 18-karat gold pocket watch, which was attached to his John Ken vest.

The bride carried a bouquet of ivory roses and white lilies for her grand entrance, accompanied by a brass band from the Royal Marines band.

Despite the modest guest list of 500, some 200 million viewers watched the event on television.

But unlike Edward’s siblings’ extravagant weddings, there was no ceremonial state or military involvement – ​​as the couple requested.

The ceremony was largely a family affair, with Edward’s brothers, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, serving as his supporters.

The late Queen Elizabeth wore an embroidered lilac dress and a matching feathered fascinator, even though the couple had advised guests against wearing hats.

Traditionally, the wedding rings were made from Welsh gold from the Prince Edward mine in Gwynedd. This custom dates back to 1923.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds rode in a horse-drawn carriage to the reception at St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle, where they enjoyed a buffet dinner with their guests.

A range of music was provided by the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, the London Mozart Players and the Royal Marines band.

Sophie and Edward employed Linda Fripp to create their 10-foot fondant cake.

Painstakingly crafted over 515 hours, the chocolate-flavored design consisted of seven layers decorated with iced fruit and flowers. It was covered with miniature tennis rackets, referencing the couple’s first meeting.

Of Queen Elizabeth’s children, Edward is the only one who has not remarried.

He and Sophie have daughter Lady Louise, 20, and son James, 16, who succeeded his father as Earl of Wessex.

James has a lower profile than his sister, as evidenced by his absence from Trooping the Color this weekend.