In a charming departure from typical royal extravagance, the King's youngest brother, Prince Edward, chose a notably practical present for his then-girlfriend Sophie Rhys-Jones's 29th birthday: a monogrammed suitcase.
A Down-to-Earth Royal Courtship
According to a biography by royal author Sean Smith, the now-Duke of Edinburgh bypassed the opportunity to select a discreet diamond from the royal jewellers, Garrard's, in early 1994. Instead, he opted for the personalised luggage, a gift described as 'very smart' but 'hardly designed to sweep a girl off her feet'.
Smith notes that Sophie, a high-flying PR executive at the time, was faced with telling friends she had received 'a jolly nice suitcase'. Edward's motivation was reportedly a desire for discretion, fearing a piece of jewellery would attract unwanted press scrutiny after the couple had recently gone public with their romance.
The Buckingham Palace Surprise Party
The suitcase was not the only birthday gesture. On January 19, 1994, the eve of Sophie's birthday, Edward organised a surprise party at his apartment in Buckingham Palace. Sophie arrived expecting a quiet dinner, initially finding only a 'forlorn-looking bunch of balloons' before her friends and an exuberant Edward burst in.
After the guests departed, Edward 'sheepishly produced a second present': a photograph of himself from his Royal Marines days in an antique silver frame. A delighted Sophie promised to keep it by her bed in her West Kensington flat.
Love Letters and a Romantic Getaway
A friend of the prince confided to Smith that Edward's true romantic nature was better revealed in the lengthy love letters he sent, which were signed 'with masses of love, Edward' and adorned with four kisses and two hearts. He also frequently sent bouquets of red roses to her flat.
The new suitcase soon saw use. The couple planned a ski holiday to St Anton, Austria, but Edward cancelled last-minute to avoid paparazzi following Princess Diana and her sons nearby. As a 'romantic substitute', he flew Sophie to Scotland for a stay at the luxurious royal Craigowan Lodge on the Balmoral Estate.
From Suitcase to Engagement Ring
The couple's relationship culminated in a proposal in the Bahamas shortly before Christmas in 1998. This time, Edward's gift was unequivocally regal: an engagement ring featuring a two-carat oval diamond flanked by heart-shaped stones, valued at approximately £105,000.
They married at St George's Chapel, Windsor, on June 19, 1999, in a ceremony watched by 200 million television viewers. Now the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, they live at Bagshot Park in Surrey with their two children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex.
As Sophie celebrates her 61st birthday, the story of the monogrammed suitcase from 32 years ago endures as a testament to the couple's famously understated and enduring partnership.
