Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, gave a sharp response when asked if she and Prince Edward would be “stepping up” to replace Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, according to a book.
One of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s trusted allies, Sophie has long-dedicated herself to working hard for the Royal Family and is often referred to by courtiers as the Firm’s “secret weapon”.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl described the Duchess’s importance in her 2022 book, The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, pointing to one “wistful” moment which summed up her devotion.
It concerned questions about the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the royal fold and how that void may be filled.
Nicholl writes: “Sophie is paving a more ‘ordinary’ and ‘normal’ path for the Royal Family.
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“If the price is less attention (although the organisations she is involved with value her hugely) it is a price worth paying.
“Every now and then, Sophie seems a bit wistful.
“When asked if she and Edward would be stepping up as Harry, Meghan and Andrew stepped down from their official duties, she replied: ‘What did people think we were doing beforehand?'”
Sophie and Edward, 59, have played a crucial role after King Charles, 75, received medical treatment for an enlarged prostate and Princes Kate, 42, was hospitalised to undergo an abdominal operation.
Princess Anne, 73, agreed to step in alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh to complete engagements with Kate and Charles absent. Prince William is also absent from engagements as he supports his family, Kensington Palace confirmed.
The Queen greatly trusted Sophie, with some saying she saw her as “more like a daughter”.
They shared similar interests and often spent weekends together at Windsor, watching old war films and historical documentaries.
Sophie and Edward tied the knot on 19 June 1999 in St George’s Chapel and have two children together, Lady Louise, who is now 20, and her younger brother, James Earl of Wessex, who is 16.
An aide once said of Sophie: “Since she became a working member of the family she has worked tirelessly for each and every cause she is passionately involved in.”
In total, she is patron of over 70 charities and organisations, with interests ranging from agriculture and fashion to supporting people with disabilities, and preventing avoidable blindness in developing countries.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to California in March 2020.
