Today is the 48th birthday of Sophie, Countess of Wessex (Great Britain) and the 40th birthday of Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant (Belgium).
Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones was born on January 20, 1965 to Christopher and Mary (nee O'Sullivan). Sophie has an older brother, David. Sophie met her husband, the Earl of Wessex in 1993, at a tennis charity event, when his tennis partner didn't come. Their relationship started soon afterwards. Their engagement was offically announced on January 6, 1999. They married on June 19, 1999 at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
In December of 2001, Sophie was taken to the hospital after saying she didn't feel well. It was discovered she was suffereing from a ptentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy. Two years later, she had a daughter, Lady Louise Windsor (b. November 8, 2003). Louise was a premature baby, resulting from a sudden placental abruption, Sophie had to undergo an emergancy caesarean section. Sophie had another child, James, Viscount Severn (b. December 17, 2007) and had to have another caesarean section.
Now, Sophie fufills a bunch of engagements, making her one of my favourite royals of 2012. She's very close to her mother-in-law (Queen Elizabeth). It's said to be the Queen's first permanently warm relationship with one of her children-in-laws.
Mathilde was born on January 20, 1973 to Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz and Countess Anna Maria Komorowska. Mathilde married her husband, Prince Philippe on December 4, 1999. They have 4 children together, Princess Elisabeth (the future queen of Belgium (b. October 25, 2001)), Prince Gabriel (b. August 20, 2003), Prince Emmanuel (b. October 4, 2005), and Princess Eleonore (b. April 16, 2008).
Photos: Google (Key word: "Countess of Wessex")
MyRoyals
Information: Wikipedia
