Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie could be set for even more royal prominence in the future as King Charles is likely to “rely” on them, according to a royal expert.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are already senior members of the working Royal Family, and with the King currently out of action due to his cancer diagnosis the couple may start taking on more duties.
Pauline Maclaran, Professor of Marketing & Consumer Research in the School of Management at Royal Holloway, also pointed out that Sophie’s “feminine” energy could be just what the Firm needs.
She told Express.co.uk: “I think the King is likely to rely more on Edward and Sophie in the future. This is especially so as regards Sophie who has proved popular with the public and she also helps boost the feminine face of the monarchy given that it risks being perceived as very masculine due to the future lineage.
“The women have been coming more to the fore in recent years (rather than just their husband’s support system!) and Sophie is potentially part of this. We have seen more of her lately and this is likely to continue.”
Duchess Sophie and Princess Kate could be a powerful combination in the future, once Kate recovers from her surgery fully and settles back into royal life.
The two have struck up a close friendship, both coming from similar backgrounds as regular women who married princes and became working royals for a career.
Some have speculated that when Kate becomes Queen Sophie will step up to become “Kate’s Anne”, as one source described her, in reference to Princess Anne’s role as a confidante to her brother the King.
The royal woman leading the way at the moment is Queen Camilla, who has stepped up even morwe while her husband the King undergoes cancer treatment.
Camilla has been carrying out several solo engagements, however she has taken a short break this week with no events scheduled in her calendar.
Next Monday, March 11, she will be back alongside several other royals, including Edward and Sophie, for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
With both the King and the Princess of Wales off sick there has been added pressure on other memvers of the Firm, but Kate is expected back at work sometime around Easter.
It is unclear how long His Majesty will be away for, however he has continued to hold meetings whenever he can and receives his governmental red boxes everyday.
In-between treatments in London he has been resting out of the public eye in Sandringham, where Camilla has joined him on her days off.
