Duchess Sophie, formerly the Countess of Wessex, is reportedly “relieved” that she no longer has to curtsey to Meghan Markle, who was previously higher in rank due to her marriage to Prince Harry
Duchess Sophie, formerly the Countess of Wessex, is reportedly “relieved”(Image: Getty Images)
Duchess Sophie is “relieved” that she no longer has to curtsey to Meghan Markle now that she’s landed a loftier title, a friend has claimed. Sophie, formerly the Countess of Wessex, secured the promotion when her husband, Prince Edward, was bestowed with his own new title to allow her to enjoy the prestigious name of Duchess of Edinburgh.
Prior to this, Meghan, as the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry’s wife, would have been higher in rank, meaning that royal protocol stipulated that Sophie had to curtsey to her at royal events.
On that note, the hard-working royal, whose husband is the youngest child of the late Queen Elizabeth II, was reportedly “relieved” that she “no longer” had to abide by this particularly strict tradition, a friend of hers told reporters.
According to Hello! magazine, they said: “Sophie is relieved. She no longer has to curtsey to someone in the family who has not only left royal duties but has spent the past three years criticising the institution that Sophie works so hard to support.”
Meghan Markle, as Prince Harry’s wife, previously would have been higher in rank(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Sophie’s links to her late mother-in-law continue with this title, as Elizabeth once held it herself. In fact, she spoke about the topic during a recent trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide.
King Charles gave the title of Duke of Edinburgh (once held by their late father, Prince Philip), to his youngest brother on his 59th birthday in 2023, meaning Sophie simultaneously landed her own new title.
She said that she was presented with “quite large shoes” to fill after Elizabeth, adding that it was “quite an emotional thing” to step into them, and it felt like “quite a big moment”.
Sophie went on to describe how her and Edward’s role is to support the King, but admitted that they’re “fortunate” as they don’t have to be in a “front and centre role”, offering them “flexibility”.
Addressing the notion that she’s the Firm’s secret weapon, Sophie said she likes to “fly under the radar”, and although it’s “all very well” being this, if nobody knows, perhaps it’s “too secret”.
Royal protocol stipulated that Sophie had to curtsey to Meghan at royal events (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
She said: “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.”
In a humorous side-note, the Duchess added: “I just wonder what they are going to describe me as next.”
In other news, a new book, Saving the Royal Family by Sean Smith, has shed light on Sophie’s father’s reaction when she “dropped the bombshell” that she was dating Prince Edward.
Christopher Bournes Rhys-Jones, a keen hunter and fisherman, reportedly also enjoyed a “good gin and tonic”, a pleasure he tended to enjoy later on in the afternoon, except for one occasion.
Sean revealed: “When Sophie dropped the bombshell that she was going out with Prince Edward, her father memorably remarked, ‘It was the first time in my life that I needed a gin and tonic before ten o’clock’.”