For any royal bride or groom, the run up to their wedding is a daunting affair where the media spotlight is never far away.
As Prince Edward and Sophie’s big day approached in 1999, they assumed the press interest in the nuptial might have just passed them by.
After all, Edward was only seventh in line to the throne and therefore it was remarkably unlikely the crown would ever find his head.
The Royal Family, even appeared to accept that it was a much low-key ceremony with St George’s Chapel in Windsor chosen as the venue instead of St Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey in central London.
However, any hope of avoiding a media circus were dramatically halted when distressing images of Sophie were leaked to The Sun newspaper by a former colleague and friend of Sophie’s.
Writing in his new biographer of the Duchess of Edinburgh – titled Sophie – the royal author Sean Smith has looked back at the events that followed the publication and how the future duchess’s once good friend betrayed her for less than £100,000.
Before her marriage, Sophie had previously been working in public relations for Capital. Her time working for the radio station would come back to haunt her when The Sun newspaper published topless photos of the future duchess.
The photos were a decade old and showed a 23-year-old Sophie alongside presenter Chris Tarrant while in Spain.
Sophie’s former PR business partner Murray Harkin told Smith that she rang him in the early hours of the morning in ‘floods of tears’ once the pictures were published.
‘She was so upset because she felt that she was “letting the side down” before her wedding,’ Murray said.
Sophie’s tearful outburst was also out of fear that the pictures could ‘torpedo her innocent excitement and the support of the public’.
But thanks in part to the ‘unwavering’ support of the late Queen, who called the story ‘premeditated cruelty’, it was the newspaper and the so-called ‘villain’ of the piece Sophie’s former colleague Kara Noble who received the most backlash.
After The Sun’s editor David Yelland released what Smith’s called a ‘somewhat patronising statement’, the paper eventually released a full-page apology with the headline ‘SORRY SOPHIE’ attached with a statement that they thought it was a ‘saucy but harmless picture’.
Kara was promptly sacked from her job at London-based radio Heart and she was even called out for her actions by Chris Tarrant on his Capital breakfast show.
Smith wrote: ‘Tarrant had to deny that he had ever been in an improper relationship with Sophie.
‘He broadcast a statement on his breakfast show: “To the person who has sold these pictures, you know who you are. Kara, how will you ever be able to look Sophie in the face again? I don’t feel angry. I don’t feel disgust – I feel deeply saddened”.’
Kara was criticised for destroying her burgeoning career in radio for a payment of just £40,000.
Smith said: ‘Attention swiftly turned to how much Kara had made from selling her camera roll of film. First guess was that it must have been £100k.
‘After all, why jeopardise you comfortable life and career for anything less than six figures?
‘In the end, the estimated sum was £40k, which appeared ridiculously low .’
It was then revealed that Kara had even reassured Sophie that the pictures would not find their way into the public domain.
Kara soon found herself instead at the centre of a media storm. The Daily Mail at the time ran a front page calling the disgraced radio presenter a ‘Traitor’ on the day she was sacked from Heart.
She finally did apologise in the Mail on Sunday where Kara described the scandal as the ‘biggest and most public mistake one could ever make.’
Careerwise, it was indeed a very big mistake for Kara with the presenter leaving the UK to work in Los Angeles.
According to Kara’s Linkedin, since moving to LA she has done a lot of voiceover work for companies such as Mattel, Kelloggs and McDonalds. She was also the host of Miss World in the Seychelles.
For Edward and Sophie, the scandal did not overshadow their big day in June 1999.
They married in a relatively modest ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
Sophie travelled to the church with her father, Christopher Rhys-Jones, in a Rolls-Royce.
The car had originally been presented to the Queen for her Silver Jubilee in 1978.
Sophie exuded elegance in a custom-made ensemble, comprising a coatdress and an evening dress designed by Samantha Keswick (née Shaw).
Her full-length ivory coatdress featured a deep V-neckline, long sleeves and intricate beading around the neck, sleeves and train.
Concealed beneath was a silk corseted dress, adorned with an impressive 325,000 cut-glass and pearl beads.
The designer, who created the outfit in four months, ensured the dress fabrics perfectly matched the stone of St George’s Chapel – even making secret visits to the venue for colour coordination.
Sophie completed her look with the Anthemion tiara, her first wear from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection.
Complementing this regal accessory were pearl jewels personally designed by her new husband, who commissioned Asprey and Garrard to make the pieces.
In return, Sophie had gifted Edward an 18-carat gold pocket watch, which was secured to his John Ken waistcoat.
The bride carried a cascading bouquet of ivory roses and white lilies as she made her grand entrance, accompanied by a fanfare from the band of the Royal Marines.
Despite the modest guest list of 500, around 200 million viewers tuned in to watch the event on television.
But unlike the extravagant weddings of Edward’s siblings, there was no ceremonial state or military involvement – as per the couple’s request.
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds rode in a horse-drawn carriage to the reception at St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle, where they enjoyed a buffet-style dinner with their guests.
An array of music was provided by the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, the London Mozart Players and the band of the Royal Marines.
Sophie and Edward employed Linda Fripp to create their 10-foot-tall fondant cake.
The chocolate-flavoured design, painstakingly crafted over 515 hours, showcased seven tiers embellished with iced fruit and flowers. It was topped with miniature tennis rackets, referencing the couple’s first encounter.
Among Queen Elizabeth’s children, Edward is the only one who has not re-married.
He and Sophie have daughter Lady Louise, 21, and son James, 17, who succeeded his father as the Earl of Wessex.
