Surprising details about Queen's bond with grandchildren revealed by Countess Sophie
FOR millions of Britons, the Queen is Head of State and Head of the Church of England, but to her eight grandchildren she is simply "grandmother," the Countess of Wessex has said.
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In an extremely rare interview, Sophie opened up about the relationship her two children have with their very famous granny. Lady Louise, 16, and James Viscount Severn, 12, are the monarch's youngest grandchildren and enjoy a close relationship with the Queen and Prince Phillip.
The children have grown up in their parents' Bagshot Park mansion in Surrey, just a short drive from the Queen's home at Windsor Castle.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Sophie, 55, explained how her daughter and son have enjoyed a relatively normal upbringing so far.
When asked how she and Prince Edward give their children a normal life, Sophie replied: “What’s normal? They go to a regular school.
"They go to friends for sleepovers and parties. At weekends we do lots of dog walking and stay with friends.
"I guess not everyone’s grandparents live in a castle, but where you are going is not the important part, or who they are. When they are with the Queen, she is their grandmother."
The Queen has eight grandchildren aged between 42 - Peter Phillips - and 12 - James Viscount Severn.
She and the Duke of Edinburgh also have eight great-grandchildren, the oldest being Savannah Phillips, nine, and the youngest being one-year-old Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.
To celebrate his grandmother's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Prince Harry opened up about his admiration for the Head of the Commonwealth.
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The Queen had asked Harry to represent her on a tour of Commonwealth nations to kick-off the celebrations and he revealed he and her other grandchildren were looking forward to marking the occasion with her.
Speaking to CBS News on tour of Brazil, Harry joked about his playful relationship with the Queen, suggesting he may hit the town with her by his side to celebrate her 60 years on the throne.
He said: "When I get back I'm sure ideas will start flowing.
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"Us, as a group of grandchildren, will hopefully be able to have a dinner with her and do something fun with her, maybe take her out on the town, I don't know."
He added: "She's a fantastic woman, not only as a grandmother but as a Queen, as everybody knows."
He said the reception he received in the countries while on the Jubilee tour was a testament to the positive impact she has had on Commonwealth nations.
He said: "It choked me up a little bit now and again because to me she's just granny.
"But to all these countries she's the Queen and she's this great thing that they respect and love."
Other royal grandchildren have previously spoken out about their bond with the monarch, 94.
Speaking to ITV in 2012, Prince William told of how he turned to the Queen in the run up to his wedding to Kate Middleton for expert advice on the guest list.
And explaining how his view of his grandmother has changed over the years, the Duke of Cambridge said: "When I was younger, growing up, I would say probably Queen first, then grandmother.
"But now it's definitely grandmother first, Queen second."