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Sophie Wessex shares upsetting menopause symptom that affected her career

The royal suffered an upsetting side effect of menopause

sophie wessex health
Melanie Macleod
Wellness Editor
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The Countess of Wessex can always be relied upon to be among the most relatable royals – especially when it comes to discussing her experience with menopause.

SEE: Countess Sophie's romantic £105k engagement ring has special royal connections

In 2021 Prince Edward's wife spoke openly about the upsetting side effect she experience during menopause, explaining that she had issues with her memory.

WATCH: Sophie Wessex surprises royal fans in a chic pink power suit

"You suddenly can't remember what on earth it was you were talking about," she said, while speaking at an occasion to mark her royal patronage of charity Wellbeing of Women.

READ: Sophie Wessex's sweet gesture for Prince Philip revealed

MORE: How Lady Louise Windsor's health condition impacted mum Sophie Wessex's life

"Try being on an engagement when that happens. Your words just go. And you're standing there going, 'Hang on, I thought I was a reasonably intelligent person'. What has just happened to me?"

She added: "It's like someone has just gone and taken your brain out for however long before they pop it back in again, and you try and pick up the pieces and carry on."

sophie wessex zoom close up

Countess Sophie spoke about her menopause experience on Zoom

The Countess, who is mother to Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn, also suggested the menopause shouldn't be such a taboo. 

SEE: Sophie Wessex shares rare personal message as she celebrates 23rd wedding anniversary

"Really, we should be celebrating the fact that we don't have to have periods anymore," she said. "It should be a liberation. But it feels like it's a shackle. Because it's been described as something that’s incredibly negative.

sophie wessex menopause chat

Sophie Wessex is a patron for women's charity Wellbeing of Women

"And, one, yes it's an admittance of the fact that we’re getting a bit older; we're not as young as we were before. We're not being, to use the word 'productive'. We're past that stage, which is quite a moment isn't it?"

She went on to discuss how young women should be taught about the menopause during school. 

"I go back to education," she explained. "How much are young girls actually told at the beginning? When we're told that we're going to begin our periods, are we told that they’re going to end as well? We don't want to have those conversations whilst we are in the zone of being young and having children and everything and then all of a sudden you're going, 'Oh my god, what’s going on, how did this happen?'"

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