Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, will visit Southampton later this month. Sophie is, of course, the royal patron of Wessex Heartbeat, a charity based in the city.

As part of her visit and to promote a charity event staged on board the ship, she will tour P&O’s 115,000 ton cruise ship, Azura.

Wessex Heartbeat was founded in 1992. It is a very important charity in the Southampton region and provides support to the Wessex Cardiac Centre, a leading British heart treatment centre.

Since its foundation the charity has been successful in raising in excess of £13 million. The money was used to ensure that more than 20,000 patients who are treated at the centre every year receive the best possible medical care.

Sophie will arrive at the Southampton Ocean Terminal at about 11.15 am on Friday 22nd July. The Mayor of Southampton, Terry Matthews, and Dame Mary Fagan will meet her upon arrival.

After she has boarded the Azura, Countess Sophie will be welcomed by the ship’s captain, Keith Dowds. He will then accompany her on a tour of the ship’s bridge, where she will be introduced to representatives of the charity and members of the crew.

It has to be said that Sophie totally outshone her husband Prince Edward at the recent royal wedding in Monaco. She was certainly much more stylishly dressed than him. If that was anything to go by, she will enchant the guests with her style and personality during the Azura tour.