BLAZING A TRAIL

As Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, turns 60, we pay tribute to the dedicated and down-to-earth royal mom of two

- TRACY SCHAVERIEN, DANIELLE STACEY & EMILY NASH

Laughing joyfully as she leans against a window in her beautiful home, Bagshot Park, near Windsor, the Duchess of Edinburgh looks beautiful in a new portrait shared by the Royal Family to mark her 60th birthday.

Sophie who celebrated her milestone on Jan. 20 is seen wearing an elegant black sweater and a cream pleated skirt with delicate gold jewelry in the shot, taken by Nigerian-born Christina Ebenezer.

Known for championing the rights of women and girls, the duchess chose Christina because she was drawn to her creative style and was keen to support a rising female photographer.

Sophie is entering her seventh decade with "a renewed sense of excitement and commitment" to her work around gender equality and "looks forward to further embracing and championing this issue in the years to come."

In a separate post, Buckingham Palace also officially wished the King's sister-in-law "a very happy 60th birthday," as did the Prince and Princess of Wales.

The duchess is thought to have spent her special day relaxing privately with her husband, Prince Edward, receiving birthday wishes from her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, 21 - currently studying at the University of St. Andrews - and her son, James, Earl of Wessex, 17, who attends a boarding school in Oxfordshire.

"She didn't want to make a big fuss about it," says one of her close friends. "She doesn't see this as a big moment."

Sophie's approach to turning 60 reflects the way she takes on her public work - often without the fanfare that is usually associated with royal engagements.