'Sophie's my rock. I'm so lucky I found her'

PRINCE EDWARD heaped praise on his "absolutely brilliant rock" of a wife, as he turns 60 today.

- Marco Giannangeli

As the couple prepare to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in June, the Duke of Edinburgh paid a moving tribute to Sophie, 59.

He also called his late father Prince Philip "the Prince Albert of our age" and said despite his forthright manner, he was "brilliant" with people.

Royal experts credit the strength of Edward and Sophie's partnership for their successful transition over the decades.

Speaking on Alan Titchmarsh's Love Your Weekend show, being shown on ITV today, Edward said of Sophie: "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.' Royal author Margaret Holder said: "Edward is now 60. His old insecurities are long behind him, in part due to Sophie's influence on him.