Unlikely royals 'setting perfect example for Charlotte and Louis' with their success

They have rapidly become one of the Royal Family’s greatest assets and so it proved again last week when the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh stepped up to the plate and carried out a historic ceremony on behalf of King Charles.

But as Prince Edward, 60, and Sophie, 59, watched French soldiers parade in the Buckingham Palace forecourt to mark 120 years of friendly relations between the two countries the couple must have reflected that their rise has been many years in the making.

Their ascension, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond notes, is also setting the perfect example for two young royals of how to make a success of being the 'spare' to the throne.

As they truly come into their own and continue to see the good work they do recognised, Jennie tells OK! that the pair “thoroughly deserve the recognition they are now getting”.

"They have always been quietly devoted to their various causes, but their work has been overshadowed by other royals. I suppose every cloud has a silver lining… and as the King calls on them to take a more prominent role, Edward and Sophie are showing they are very much up to the task.

“They are also serving as excellent role models to their great nephews and niece - showing that you can be a ‘spare’ or even a ‘spare to the spare’ and make a real success of working as a valued member of the Royal Family.”

The ‘spare to the heir’ is a well-known royal phrase, and while there have been many famous spares throughout history, including the late Queen’s father, King George VI, the word is now synonymous with Prince Harry’s controversial memoir.

It is a position which has notoriously come with question marks attached as the royal struggles to carve out a life for themselves in the shadow of the crown.

But among the many benefits of the Prince and Princess of Wales' preference for gentle parenting directed by what Kate has learned from her studies of early years education, it is clear that the couple will be striving to normalise their younger children’s lives with the hope that they never feel like working as royals is their only option.

“William and Kate must be acutely aware of the problems for a royal spare”, Jennie explains. “They have already shown that they have a different and modern attitude to bringing up royal children and I’m sure they will do everything to make Charlotte and Louis feel every bit as special, loved and valued as George.

“I imagine they will encourage Louis to explore life outside the royal fold… it could be the military, but it could also be working in the charity world or whatever he finds appealing after his education is finished. I’m sure they will encourage him to go to University, which they both enjoyed and where, of course, they found love.

“And from there they will want him to find a life that is meaningful to him as well as appropriate for the son of a future King. They will try to ensure that he feels he is living a life of value, irrespective of his place in the line of succession and that will probably involve service of some kind as they have emphasised from the start that they want their children to understand that having empathy with others is not only a kindness, but is rewarding as well.”

In the 13 months since Edward and Sophie were granted their new titles, their personal popularity and recognition within the Royal Family has skyrocketed as they are increasingly called on to represent the King at important events while he continues to focus on his recovery.

While Prince Edward is a key supporter of the arts and is carrying on his late father’s work with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, Sophie is an important advocate for gender equality, raising awareness against female genital mutilation (FGM) and the prevention of avoidable blindness.

When the pair are not carrying out engagements or representing the King, they live at Bagshot Park near the Windsor Estate with their two children - Lady Louise Windsor, 20, and James, Earl of Wessex, 16, - when they are not away at university or school.