The Queen has led the Royal Family in sharing their birthday wishes with the Countess of Wessex today.
Sophie, who turned 56 today, is believed to be spending the day with her family at their home of Bagshot Park, where they spent Christmas after the Queen decided to have a quiet festive period at Windsor Castle.
A message on the official Royal Family Instagram page read: ‘Wishing The Countess of Wessex a very happy birthday today!’
The message was accompanied by a photograph of Sophie wearing a crisp white jacket, which was taken while she and her husband Prince Edward visited Vauxhall City Farm, Lambeth in October.
The Queen, 94, led the Royal Family in sharing their birthday wishes with the Countess of Wessex today
Sophie’s birthday celebrations are likely to be a private affair, due to lockdown restrictions, with Prince Edward and their two children – Lady Louise Windsor, 17, and James Viscount Severn, 13.
It will likely be a far cry from her birthday last year, when she joined Kate Middleton and Prince William for a UK-Africa investment summit at Buckingham Palace.
This year has seen the mother-of-two step into the forefront of The Firm’s response to the Covid-19 crisis, with the Countess volunteering at food banks and charity shops to help the needy.
Sophie enjoys a particularly close relationship with her mother-in-law the Queen and often represents the Crown both at home and overseas.
Sharing the family’s birthday wishes with the Countess, the royals posted snap of Sophie along with a balloon emoji
Last month, royal expert Phil Dampier has said ‘rising star’ Sophie’s ‘time has come’, telling the Express: ‘I think Sophie was always willing to take a bigger role, but she was overshadowed by more senior royals.’
He said the Countess now has a higher profile than her husband Prince Edward, with whom she lives at Bagshot Park alongside their two children Lady Louise, 17, and VIscount James, 12.
Phil added that Lady Louise gets ‘a lot of inspiration’ from her mother, and could be the next rising royal star.
Calling the teenager ‘highly intelligent’, he explained: ‘Their daughter Lady Louise could turn out to be a star in her own right and will get a lot of inspiration from her mum.’
Sophie, who enjoys a particularly close relationship with the Queen, is believed to be celebrating the big day at her home of Bagshot Park
Sophie – who is married to the Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward – has been at the forefront of the Royal Family’s response to the global crisis.
Speaking of her volunteering efforts, Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty, who branded her a ‘royal key worker,’ commented: ‘She is making a difference in a very understated, very “Sophie” way.’
Meanwhile Peregrine Armstrong-Jones, of Bentley’s Entertainment, told PEOPLE magazine: ‘There’s no fanfare.
‘These are private visits done in her own private time. When she leaves our kitchens, she generally then goes on to do more projects in different hospitals.’
Sophie – who is married to the Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward – has been at the forefront of the Royal Family’s response to the global Covid-19 crisis
A friend added: ‘She was brought up by her parents and there was going to be no free ride in her family.
‘She wasn’t born to be the eldest daughter of a duke and duchess and find a marvelous marriage and polish her tiaras.’
Last year, Phil told FEMAIL Sophie would be a safe pair of hands to take over the responsibilities that can no longer be carried out by Harry, Meghan and Andrew.
He said: ‘She is very close to Her Majesty and is a favourite of hers. Recently she has been on several overseas trips and done fantastically well.
Sophie’s birthday celebrations are likely to be a private affair, due to lockdown restrictions, with Prince Edward and their two children – Lady Louise Windsor, 17, and James Viscount Severn, 13
‘Now that her children are a bit older I think there could be a great role for her to play. She is 55 today and she is very fit and full of energy.
‘I think she wants to do more and would happily step up to the plate and take over more duties if asked.’
It comes after a period of seismic change for the Royal Family that saw Prince Andrew step back from public duties in the wake of his car crash Jeffrey Epstein TV interview, and the Sussexes’ announcement that they would step back as senior royals.