Stepping up for Charles: Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, look regal as they

‘Whatever he is doing he gives 150 per cent of himself, and if all else fails he gives any energy he has left out to our exhausted dogs or laying waste to the garden.

‘Like my father-in-law, my husband never seeks compliments for himself. So when acknowledgment has come his way it has always been a total surprise to him, which is why I am grateful for this chance to, for once, be able to publicly celebrate and compliment him.’

She finished by saying, ‘I am so proud of the man he is. He is the best of fathers, the most loving of husbands and still is my best friend. So here’s to you my darling Edward and may I along with all your family and so many friends and many others wish you the Happiest of Birthdays!’

Meanwhile Prince Edward paid tribute to his wife, Sophie, as his ‘absolute rock’ as he discussed his family life with Alan Titchmarsh during an appearance on Love Your Weekend.

Speaking of how much Sophie means to him, the Duke called his wife ‘critical, absolutely critical.’ He continued, ‘She’s been an absolutely brilliant rock and I’m incredibly lucky that I found Sophie and that she found me. Hopefully we’ve been a really brilliant partnership. We’re very lucky, we’ve got two, of what we would think are particularly brilliant children, who are forging such different paths for themselves. I think that’s also equally fascinating.’