Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex have given their first major interview since marrying in 1999. Getty Images
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex have given their first major interview since marrying in 1999. Getty Images
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex have given their first major interview since marrying in 1999. Getty Images
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex have given their first major interview since marrying in 1999. Getty Images

Family

'What interview?' Edward and Sophie laugh off Harry and Meghan's Oprah Winfrey appearance

The royal couple were speaking from their Surrey home in their first major talk since their wedding more than two decades ago

Farah Andrews
Farah Andrews
Dubai

June 06, 2021

  • English
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In their first major interview together since they married in 1999, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, have opened up about the loss of Prince Philip, life as working royals and, of course, Harry and Meghan's explosive Oprah Winfrey appearance.

In the Telegraph interview, Camilla Tominey "sheepishly" asked the couple if they watched the Winfrey interview, describing them as "looking at each other as if to dare the other to speak first".

"Oprah who?" replied Prince Edward, while Sophie said, "Yes, what interview?"

British Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones leave St George's Chapel at Windsor after their wedding Saturday 19 June 1999 . EPA
British Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones leave St George's Chapel at Windsor after their wedding Saturday 19 June 1999 . EPA

Following on from the skirted subject, Tominey then recalls telling the couple about the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Reverend Justin Welby, "apparently having a long conversation with Winfrey at Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018 without having a clue who she was".

To which Sophie replied: "You know, if you’re not into chat shows, there’s no reason why you should know who she is. Certainly not in this country, anyway."

Prince Edward is the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The royal reflected on the April death of his father in the interview.

Speaking of the fact that he will assume his father's role as the Duke of Edinburgh when his brother, Prince Charles, becomes king, he said: "It’s a very bittersweet role to take on because the only way the title can come to me is after both my parents have actually passed away.

"It has to go back to the crown first. My father was very keen that the title should continue, but he didn't quite move quickly enough with Andrew, so it was us who he eventually had the conversation with. It was a lovely idea, a lovely thought."

Speaking of his father's funeral, he said: "It was extraordinarily odd walking into St George’s Chapel and finding the nave completely empty."

While the countess said: "I think the fact that there were so few of us only served to raise the intensity of it."

Look back at the stye evolution of Sophie, Countess of Wessex here: 

  • Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh wearing a Victoria Beckham dress at a charity lunch in London, March 2017. Getty Images
    Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh wearing a Victoria Beckham dress at a charity lunch in London, March 2017. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in a lace dress and cream coat, and King Charles attend the wedding of Crown Prince Willem Alexander and Maxima Zorreguieta in February 2002 in Amsterdam. Getty Images
    The duchess, in a lace dress and cream coat, and King Charles attend the wedding of Crown Prince Willem Alexander and Maxima Zorreguieta in February 2002 in Amsterdam. Getty Images
  • The duchess in red satin and Prince Edward arrive for a reception hosted by the Norwegian government in Trondheim, Norway, in May 2002. Getty Images
    The duchess in red satin and Prince Edward arrive for a reception hosted by the Norwegian government in Trondheim, Norway, in May 2002. Getty Images
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh in a two-tone strapless gown, and Prince Edward arrive for the wedding of Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Ari Behn at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, in May 2002. Getty Images
    The Duchess of Edinburgh in a two-tone strapless gown, and Prince Edward arrive for the wedding of Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Ari Behn at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, in May 2002. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in brown suede, attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2003 at Windsor Castle, England. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in brown suede, attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2003 at Windsor Castle, England. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in a formal black coat, attend the National Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for members of the armed forces killed in the Iraq war in London, October 2003. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in a formal black coat, attend the National Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for members of the armed forces killed in the Iraq war in London, October 2003. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in taupe separates, leave Frimley Park Hospital in November 2003 in Surrey, England. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in taupe separates, leave Frimley Park Hospital in November 2003 in Surrey, England. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in pink satin, attend the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson at Copenhagen Cathedral in May 2004 in Copenhagen. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in pink satin, attend the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson at Copenhagen Cathedral in May 2004 in Copenhagen. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in a baby blue two-piece, visits Collingwood College on her 40th birthday in January 2005 in Surrey, England. Getty Images
    The duchess, in a baby blue two-piece, visits Collingwood College on her 40th birthday in January 2005 in Surrey, England. Getty Images
  • Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in a feather-trimmed hat, and Prince Edward take part in Monaco's National Day celebrations at Monaco Cathedral in November 2005. Getty Images
    Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in a feather-trimmed hat, and Prince Edward take part in Monaco's National Day celebrations at Monaco Cathedral in November 2005. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in an LBD, arrives at the ChildLine & Mission Enfance Royal gala dinner at Banqueting House in March 2006 in London. Getty Images
    The duchess, in an LBD, arrives at the ChildLine & Mission Enfance Royal gala dinner at Banqueting House in March 2006 in London. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in a checked coat, arrive at a Service of Thanksgiving held to mark the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II in St Paul's Cathedral in London, June 2006. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in a checked coat, arrive at a Service of Thanksgiving held to mark the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II in St Paul's Cathedral in London, June 2006. Getty Images
  • Sophie, in a caped grey dress, arrives at the unveiling of a new statue of the Queen Mother on the Mall in February 2009 in London. Getty Images
    Sophie, in a caped grey dress, arrives at the unveiling of a new statue of the Queen Mother on the Mall in February 2009 in London. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and the duchess, in lace-trimmed navy, attend a pre-wedding dinner for Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling at Eric Ericson Hall in June 2010, Stockholm. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and the duchess, in lace-trimmed navy, attend a pre-wedding dinner for Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling at Eric Ericson Hall in June 2010, Stockholm. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and Sophie, in a taupe chiffon gown, attend the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling on June 19, 2010 in Stockholm, Sweden. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and Sophie, in a taupe chiffon gown, attend the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling on June 19, 2010 in Stockholm, Sweden. Getty Images
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh, in a strappy red dress, and Prince Edward attend a gala dinner held at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in April 2011, London. Getty Images
    The Duchess of Edinburgh, in a strappy red dress, and Prince Edward attend a gala dinner held at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in April 2011, London. Getty Images
  • Sophie, in a metallic dress coat, leaves Westminster Abbey after attending the annual Commonwealth Day Observance Service in March 2012, London. Getty Images
    Sophie, in a metallic dress coat, leaves Westminster Abbey after attending the annual Commonwealth Day Observance Service in March 2012, London. Getty Images
  • Sophie, in navy tailoring, and Lady Louise Windsor leave a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in June 2012, London. Getty Images
    Sophie, in navy tailoring, and Lady Louise Windsor leave a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral in June 2012, London. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in a cream coat, attends the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in March 2014, London. Getty Images
    The duchess, in a cream coat, attends the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in March 2014, London. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in a purple coat, attends the dedication ceremony of a new memorial at The National Memorial Arboretum in October 2014 in Stafford, England. Getty Images
    The duchess, in a purple coat, attends the dedication ceremony of a new memorial at The National Memorial Arboretum in October 2014 in Stafford, England. Getty Images
  • Queen Consort Camilla and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in Suzannah, attend the Order of the Garter Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in June 2015. Getty Images
    Queen Consort Camilla and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in Suzannah, attend the Order of the Garter Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in June 2015. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and the duchess, in lavender chiffon, attend a gala marking the 60th anniversary of The Duke of Edinburgh Award at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire, England, June 2016. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and the duchess, in lavender chiffon, attend a gala marking the 60th anniversary of The Duke of Edinburgh Award at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire, England, June 2016. Getty Images
  • The duchess attends the National Service of Thanksgiving as part of the 90th birthday celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II at The Guildhall in June 2016, London. Getty Images
    The duchess attends the National Service of Thanksgiving as part of the 90th birthday celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II at The Guildhall in June 2016, London. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in Alaia, and Prince Edward attend the dedication service of the Iraq and Afghanistan memorial at Horse Guards Parade in March 2017, London. Getty Images
    The duchess, in Alaia, and Prince Edward attend the dedication service of the Iraq and Afghanistan memorial at Horse Guards Parade in March 2017, London. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in Emilia Wickstead, and Philip May visit Kew Gardens during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April 2018, London. Getty Images
    The duchess, in Emilia Wickstead, and Philip May visit Kew Gardens during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April 2018, London. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in Suzannah, arrives for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel in May 2018, Windsor. Getty Images
    The duchess, in Suzannah, arrives for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel in May 2018, Windsor. Getty Images
  • Prince Edward and the duchess, in Alaia, arrive at a reception to mark the UK-Africa Investment Summit at Buckingham Palace in January 2020. Getty Images
    Prince Edward and the duchess, in Alaia, arrive at a reception to mark the UK-Africa Investment Summit at Buckingham Palace in January 2020. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in a cyan gown, arrives at the biennial Rifles Awards Dinner at the City of London Guildhall in November 2021. Getty Images
    The duchess, in a cyan gown, arrives at the biennial Rifles Awards Dinner at the City of London Guildhall in November 2021. Getty Images
  • The duchess, in a cream coat and matching hat, attends the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London, along with Prince Edward in March 2023. PA
    The duchess, in a cream coat and matching hat, attends the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London, along with Prince Edward in March 2023. PA
  • The duchess, in a pink Catherine Walker coat and cream knee-high boots, and Prince Edward depart the Easter Sunday service at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle in April 2023. EPA
    The duchess, in a pink Catherine Walker coat and cream knee-high boots, and Prince Edward depart the Easter Sunday service at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle in April 2023. EPA
  • The duchess, in a snake print Emilia Wickstead skirt and satin blouse, at a summit by learning disability charity Mencap at St Bartholomew's Hospital in April 2023. EPA
    The duchess, in a snake print Emilia Wickstead skirt and satin blouse, at a summit by learning disability charity Mencap at St Bartholomew's Hospital in April 2023. EPA
  • The duchess, in a satin blouse and turquoise trousers, during a visit to the Bagshot Women's Institute to celebrate their centenary, Bagshot, Surrey, April 2023. PA
    The duchess, in a satin blouse and turquoise trousers, during a visit to the Bagshot Women's Institute to celebrate their centenary, Bagshot, Surrey, April 2023. PA
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

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Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

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If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50

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Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

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While you're here
Cricket World Cup League Two

Oman, UAE, Namibia

Al Amerat, Muscat

 

Results

Oman beat UAE by five wickets

UAE beat Namibia by eight runs

 

Fixtures

Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia

Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE

Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia

Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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