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Sophie, Countess of Wessex, 56, is married to Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, 57, the Queen’s youngest son. The couple have two children, Lady Louise Windsor, 17, and James, Viscount Severn, 13. The family live in Bagshot Park in Surrey, which is 11 miles away from Windsor Castle where the Queen spends the majority of her time.
However, before Sophie married into the Royal Family, she lived in a much humbler abode with her parents, Christopher and Mary.
The Countess of Wessex spent her formative years at Homestead Farmhouse in Brenchley, Kent.
She eventually moved out of the house she shared with her brother David and their parents when she was 34 years old.
Although Homestead Farmhouse is much smaller than Bagshot Park, the house is also Grade II-listed.
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The 17th-century property was sold by Christopher and Mary in 2001 for a reported £600,000, and it is believed to now be worth around £1million.
Sophie’s marriage to Edward is reported to have sent local property prices skyrocketing.
Homes in Brenchley, which is not far from Royal Tunbridge Wells, shot up by an average of 171 percent when the Wessexes tied the knot.
Express.co.uk quoted local Savills estate agent Robert Jacobs in 2010, who said that any royal attention for an area was likely to influence prices, although pointed out that the Wessexes did not live there together.
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He said: “If a major royal is living in an area then yes, it helps enhance value. Look at the Cotswolds.
“However, Sophie and Edward never lived here, and anyway, Brenchley’s already blue-chip, it doesn’t need a royal connection.”
The Wessexes’ moved into Bagshot Park, the stunning Grade II-listed building after they got married in 1999.
The property is located on 51 acres of land and has 120 rooms.
“So, when she spends a lot of time at Windsor at weekends, our children are more fortunate because they can go over and have tea with her on a regular basis.”
Their home is thought to be worth an estimated £30million if it was listed on the property market.
Despite her huge home, Sophie has proven she is still one of the more down to earth members of the Royal Family.
She was praised earlier this month by highlighting the complications menopause can pose for women in the workplace.
The Countess spoke in her role as patron of women’s health charity, Wellbeing of Women.
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