Kate Middleton(Image: PA)
The Duchess of Edinburgh has consistently been regarded as the Royal Family’s most dependable figure. So much so that she and Prince Edward were entrusted with undertaking a crucial diplomatic mission to Japan last week to bolster Britain’s ties with the nation.
However, beyond serving as King Charles’ trusted envoy, the duchess enjoys particularly high esteem from the Prince and Princess of Wales. Insiders indicate that when William ultimately becomes King, his Aunt Sophie will play a pivotal role in supporting both him and his wife Kate – something she would undoubtedly welcome.
The two women have developed a close friendship – both having experienced middle-class backgrounds before joining the Royal Family and establishing significant positions. Kate is reported to quietly respect Sophie for how she and Edward have raised their two children, Lady Louise Windsor, 21, and their 17 year old son James, Earl of Wessex as she brings up her own royal youngsters Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
During royal occasions, the two women are frequently spotted sharing laughs or chuckling together, as witnessed on Garter Day earlier this year, when they beamed with pride watching their husbands participate in the historic ceremony. Yet Sophie doesn’t merely add levity when accompanying Kate, she also provides comforting support following a “brutal” year for the Princess and her loved ones.
Kate is known to have a close relationship with Sophie(Image: Getty)
Last November, on Remembrance Sunday, Kate made a rare public appearance at the Cenotaph after completing her chemotherapy treatment. Sophie was spotted offering a comforting hand on her back. Then, during Kate’s Christmas Carol concert in December, Sophie sat next to the princess for the emotional service.
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond remarked, “It’s sometimes hard to remember that Sophie is Catherine’s aunt by marriage, they seem more like sisters. I think they have a real mutual affection and friendship.
“Sophie has been there for Catherine from the start as a mentor and perhaps someone she can share the peculiar ups and downs of royal life with. They are two women who have come from middle-class backgrounds to assume uniquely senior roles in the life of the nation.
“I think William will be very grateful to have Edward and Sophie alongside when the time comes for him to be King. With no Harry to lean on, he will appreciate the support of his uncle and aunt, and be grateful that they are willing to bear their share of the considerable workload.”
Sophie’s recent trip to Japan, where she undertook a series of engagements in Tokyo and Osaka, highlights her increasingly prominent role on the international stage over the past few months.
Earlier this year, she represented the King in Bosnia to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre. Her other duties have taken her to Ukraine and Iraq, where she has championed women’s rights and supported victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
Jennie believes there is one clear reason why Sophie’s international profile has grown recently.
She told OK!: “Sophie is very down-to-earth – and that’s one reason why she’s so popular with the public- and with the royal family.
“She is trusted by them and has shown she can pull her weight in carrying out a steady round of royal duties – many of them without any great fanfare or fuss. She is a safe pair of hands, and she’s a very charming woman as well.”
A relaxed-looking Kate is often seen with Sophie giggling at royal events(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty)
Last week, while in Japan, Sophie and Edward visited the UK and Japanese Pavilions at Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai. The event, being Japan’s largest international gathering this decade, aimed to unite people and innovations from around the world to tackle global issues.
However, this meant that the couple were not present at Windsor Castle for the high-profile state visit to the UK by US President Donald Trump, which occupied most of the other working royals.
Jennie explains: “The four-day trip has been all about strengthening bilateral relations. The engagements themselves were less important than the fact that two senior royals travelled over to cement the post-war friendship between the UK and Japan.
“The Japanese Imperial House is recognised as the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world and commands deep respect.
“I remember going to Tokyo with Diana, Princess of Wales, in the 1990s. The crowds were enthusiastic and curious: they loved her comparatively down-to-earth attitude. The princess herself performed the deepest curtsy I’ve ever seen when she met the Emperor.
“The visit also witnessed Sophie participating in activities that align with her dedication to empowering women and ensuring their voices are amplified. This forms part of her impactful and often challenging work spotlighting women’s struggles, including survivors of sexual violence in warfare, which she’s previously acknowledged are “not easy subject matters”.
In recent years, palace insiders and charity leaders have praised Sophie as a reliable presence in the streamlined working monarchy – securing her the frequently-cited label of being the Royal family’s “secret weapon”.
Given her responsibilities travelling globally and confronting difficult issues directly, Sophie confessed in a conversation with OK! earlier this year that occasionally it can “take its toll on emotions, that’s for sure”.
Sophie’s recent trip to Japan showed her ‘down to earth’ attitude(Image: PA)
She said, ” I hope that I make a difference. It’s very hard because sometimes these issues are very overwhelming because of the scale. “But of course being practical, my role and my husband’s role is to support the King as it was to support the Queen and we are fortunate because we are able to not be in a front and centre role, so it allows us the flexibility to explore our own interests.
“And reacting to her description as the royals’ “secret weapon”, she also revealed, “I like to fly under the radar. It’s all very well being a secret weapon but if no one knows, maybe it’s too secret.
“However, after a pause, she added, “I suppose I should take it as a backhanded compliment. I don’t see myself in a frontline position per se, that said, admittedly there are fewer working members of the family these days so I suppose more and more I’m becoming less secretive.
“I just wonder what they are going to describe me as next!”
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Sophie’s increased visibility recently has been somewhat unintentional and emerges as the streamlined monarchy has appeared more reduced than anticipated with fewer active royals available.
This situation arose following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s withdrawal from royal duties in 2020, which came after Prince Andrew stepped back from his official responsibilities in 2019.
Jennie said: “Almost by default, Edward and Sophie have become increasingly important to the future of the monarchy. “With no Andrew and no Harry, the King’s little brother and his wife are now integral to the work of the monarchy.”
“In a different scenario they might have expected to play a relatively minor role, but with the working royals now so thin on the ground, Edward and Sophie have full-time, high-profile jobs.”.