Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is royally pleased.<\/p>\n
After Sophie was made Duchess of Edinburgh earlier this year in honor of her husband Prince Edward\u2019s 61st birthday, a new rule has been implemented.<\/p>\n
Now, the 60-year-old reportedly no longer needs to curtsy to\u00a0Meghan Markle.<\/p>\n
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, attend Royal Ascot Day 1 at Ascot Racecourse on June 19, 2018. UK Press via Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cSophie is relieved,\u201d her friend revealed to reporters, according to Hello Magazine<\/a>. \u201cShe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Before Sophie\u2019s new title, Markle, 43, was above her in the royal pecking order because of her marriage to Prince Harry<\/a>, 40.<\/p>\n The royal family member called going from Countess of Wessex to Duchess of Edinburgh \u201cquite a big moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Meghan Markle attend the annual Remembrance Sunday memorial at The Cenotaph. Samir Hussein\/WireImage<\/p>\n Both Queen Elizabeth<\/a> and Queen Camilla<\/a> previously held the title.<\/p>\n The Duchess of Edinburgh first met Edward in 1987 after she moved to London to work for Capital Radio.<\/p>\n The two remained friends for years before sparking up a romance. In 1999, Prince Edward and Sophie tied the knot.<\/p>\n Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. WireImage<\/p>\n Sophie has been a staunch confidant of King Charles, 76, and a loyal member of the royal family since marrying Edward.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, reports surfaced that Sophie allegedly skipped Princess Diana\u2019s funeral<\/a> because the pair looked too much alike.<\/p>\n \u201cShe had an obvious and reasonable excuse: a friend at the palace explained, \u2018Sophie decided it would be too upsetting for the crowd if she went,\u2019\u201d author Sean Smith wrote in his new biography about the Duchess, titled \u201cSophie: Saving the Royal Family<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh visits the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival. Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201c\u2019She\u2019s well aware that she looks like Princess Diana from a distance and made her decision in a caring and thoughtful way,\u2019\u201d he added. \u201c\u2019The royal family fully supported.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Both Diana, who died at age 36 following a car accident in 1997, and Sophie had blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.<\/p>\n Sophie addressed their similarities in the \u201990s.<\/p>\n Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh. via REUTERS<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t deny that we do look alike,\u201d she said at the time, per\u00a0Daily Express<\/a>. \u201cBut I couldn\u2019t ever compete with Diana\u2019s image.\u201d<\/p>\n She added, \u201cI\u2019m not Diana.\u201d<\/p>\n While the West Kent College alum is rising in the royal ranks, Markle and Prince Harry\u00a0stepped away from their royal duties in 2020<\/a>.<\/p>\n Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex seen during The Duke and Duchess of Sussex\u2019s Colombia Visit on August 15, 2024. Archewell Foundation via Getty Images<\/p>\n The couple, who tied the knot in 2018, moved to Montecito, California<\/a>, with their kids Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Since relocating from England to the US, Markle and Harry have remained a united front.<\/p>\n In April, the \u201cSuits\u201d alum reflected on her romance with the royal. She reminisced on affectionately\u00a0using \u201cM\u201d and \u201cH\u201d to talk about one another<\/a>\u00a0at the beginning of their relationship.<\/p>\n Meghan Markle at the 2025 TIME100 Summit. Getty Images for TIME<\/p>\n