Sophie Wessex and Prince Edward pay tribute to late Queen Elizabeth II with heartwarming Christmas card image

Sophie Wessex and Prince Edward have paid a touching tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II in their annual family Christmas card.

• The Queen passed away in September, but members of the Royal Family are very much keeping her memory alive.
• The Earl and Countess of Wessex have made sure to include his late mother in their 2022 Christmas card.
• In other royal news, King Charles has shared a rare look at the royal Christmas lunch at Windsor.

Sophie and Edward's Christmas card features a picture of the couple with Queen Elizabeth II, which was taken during a trip to Scotland last summer, just a few months before Her Majesty passed away.

The card, which was sent out to family, friends and charities, shows the Queen smiling happily next to her youngest son and his wife at the Ceremony of the Key.

A caption on the inside of the Christmas card reads: "In memory of happy days."

On Tuesday, Sophie and Edward joined other royals to attend King Charles' Christmas lunch at Windsor Castle before they head to Sandringham for the festive period.

King Charles III hosted the special event at the Berkshire property for the first time, after succeeding his mother in September. 

They were joined by Prince William and Kate Middleton, who moved to the nearby Adelaide Cottage last summer, and the couple's three children, Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 8, and four-year-old Prince Louis. 

Mike and Zara Tindall were also spotted driving into the grounds of Windsor Castle with their three children, Mia, 8, Lena, 3, and one-year-old Lucas. And Mike has revealed some details about the festive event.

He said on his podcast The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby, "The kiddies have their own little one in a different room."

This Christmas is likely to be tough for the royals, with it being their first one without Her Majesty - and it has long been reported that Sophie Wessex shared a special bond with the Queen.

Royal journalist and author Robert Jobson previously told the Telegraph, "[The Countess] is probably the best example of an outsider coming into the family and learning on the job."

“She’s very much the Queen’s favorite, and you’ll notice that whenever there is a family holiday or gathering, Sophie and Edward often stay a while longer than the rest.”

And when Prince Philip died in April 2021, Sophie was said to be a 'great source of comfort for the Queen.'

A source at the time claimed, "The Countess has been a tremendous source of comfort to the Queen. The Queen is very practical in making sure everyone is okay and despite her tremendous grief at the passing she is no different. 

"Sophie cherishes her relationship with the Queen and not only appreciates her guidance and wisdom throughout her own life, she is very protective of her.

“Their bond is very like a mother and daughter and the feeling of love and respect is quite mutual. It is very special."