The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have revealed a royal secret – and it keeps both of them very happy.

As their official visit to Nepal came to an end, Edward and Sophie shared one thing that has helped them during their 25 year marriage and a rise to the heart of the House of Windsor: competing against one another.

Speaking to the Sunday Times as they spent their final days in Nepal, the Duke and Duchess said that they were ”always” competitive against one another. And they loved it.

The revelation came as they discussed that most regal of pastimes, tree planting. Prince Edward shared that a rather special moment on the tour had come as they were asked to plant a magnolia tree in the National Botanical Garden of Nepal. It was only as they headed for the spades that they found out that the Duchess was going to plant a rhododendron soon after their joint tree efforts. Sophie revealed that ”a lot of banter” then ensued about her husband taking on the tree solo to ensure they both got a fair share of planting.

The couple also enjoyed a trek to a mountain village during their stay in Nepal and the Duchess of Edinburgh said their competitive natures had helped them tackle the tough terrain. Sophie told the paper ”got to be competitive going up those hills.”

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have spent six days in Nepal where they have given their support to a wide range of issues.

The Duchess of Edinburgh visited Maiti Nepal, a refuge centre that supports victims of human trafficking, sexual exploitation and gender based violence. Her work to end gender based violence has been high profile. In Nepal, she spoke of the ongoing challenges, noting that ”one of the things we’ve been focusing on is climate change and I’m looking at that because we’ve got populations becoming more at risk due to it who are going to find it harder to remain where they are. Therefore, of they have to move, they migrate and then become vulnerable to sexual exploitation.”

Prince Edward continued his work with the Duke of Edinburgh Award while in Nepal, meeting some of those whose lives are being changed through their participation.

One of the most important events of the Nepal visit came when the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh inspected a parade of new Gurkha recruits. Prince Edward gave a moving speech in which he told them ”always remember who you are – a soldier in the British Army but most importantly, a son of Nepal. Be proud of both.”

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh conclude their visit on February 9 2025.