Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex reveal heartbreaking memories of Prince Philip in final months of his life

Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex have revealed their heartbreaking memories of Prince Philip in the final months of his life.

• Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex have recalled the heartbreaking moments they visited the Queen and Prince Philip in the months before his death.
• The Earl and Countess of Wessex were forced to shout up to the balcony to speak to their elderly parents but the wind proved to be a nightmare.
• This royal news comes as the Queen’s heartbreaking reason for turning down this massive honour for Prince Philip has been revealed.

Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex have revealed the heartbreakingly way they visited Prince Philip in the final months of his life.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex were faced with the dilemma that most families in England were bound by when it came to the lockdown rules that they were forced to speak to their parents as they stood 20ft up in the air on the balcony of their home at Windsor Castle.

The Wessexes live only a few miles from Windsor Castle but visiting with social distancing measures in place proved difficult.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Sophie Wessex said, "We used to see them stand on the balcony, which was about 20 feet up in the air. We'd see them waving. We'd shout at them and they'd shout back at us. It always seemed to be windy, so we could barely hear each other."

Meanwhile, Prince Edward, who is the Queen's youngest child, recalled the impact lockdown had on his parents. He said, "For them, life is so much about contact. It's so much about people and then suddenly that all stops."

The couple, who live in Bagshot Park, Surrey with their daughter Lady Louise Windsor, 17, and son James, Viscount Severn, 13, have had extra media attention since the death of the duke of Edinburgh.

Speaking about stepping into the limelight as part of the Firm, Sophie said, "We've plodded along doing what we're doing, hopefully doing it well. And then all of a sudden there’s a bit of a hiatus and things have changed a bit.

"Naturally, the media are looking for people to fill the so-called void. If people want to pay more attention to what we're doing, then great."

Because the royal couple lived close to Windsor Castle they were able to spend some time with the Queen and the late Prince Philip.