Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Kate Middleton and Prince William attend an event together (Image: Getty Images/Pool)Sign up to our free email to get all the latest royal news and picturesMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Sign up to our free email to get all the latest royal news and picturesInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeMeghan Markle and Princess Kate had a common confidante in Sophie Wessex during their integration into Royal life, reveals a Royal expert. Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, has been lauded for her strong connections within ‘The Firm’, even being dubbed as Queen Elizabeth’s “second daughter” by Royal expert Jennie Bond, alongside Princess Anne. Jennie spoke about how Sophie’s warmth extends to all corners of the Royal household. She emphasised that the Duchess of Edinburgh was a pillar of support to both Meghan and Kate as they navigated Royal duty. According to Jennie, Sophie remains particularly close to Kate, supporting her through recent health concerns. Speaking to OK! magazine, Jennie noted: “Sophie knew exactly what lay in wait for Catherine as she joined the family and she knew it wouldn’t always be easy.”
Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Kate Middleton and Prince William attend an event together
(Image: Getty Images/Pool)
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Furthermore, Jennie painted the Duchess of Edinburgh as someone with an “inherently kind and generous” nature, reports the Mirror. Another insider claimed it was Queen Elizabeth herself who recommended that Sophie mentor the Duchess of Sussex, upon the engagement of the former actress to Prince Harry, Sophies nephew. With Meghan eager to dive into her Royal responsibilities, the late monarch reportedly believed she could benefit from Sophie’s guidance.
Meghan Markle with Sophie Wessex
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
In his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Royal author and friend Gyles Brandreth revealed that how the Queen understood Meghan Markle might find adjusting to Royal life. She wrote: “The Queen (who, of course, had seen it all before) understood that Harry’s girl might find adjusting to Royal life ‘challenging to begin with’ (as she put it). ‘It is very jolty, but you soon get used to it’ that was Her Majesty’s experience going back many years.” “To help Meghan, the Queen suggested that her daughter-in-law, Sophie Wessex, would be an ideal mentor. ‘Sophie can help show you the ropes,’ said the Queen.”
Princess Kate sees the Duchess of Edinburgh as a close friend
(Image: Jason Dawson/JASONPIX)
However, it seems Meghan had a different plan. Gyles said: “Meghan made it clear that she did not feel she needed Sophie’s help. She had Harry.” Edward, 60, married Sophie Rhys-Jones, 59, in a low-key ceremony at St George’s Chapel, Windsor on 19 June, 1999, and they’ve gone from strength to strength. The couple first met at London’s Capital Radio in 1987, but it wasn’t until six years later, when they bumped into each other at a charity tennis match, that their romance began. Edward proposed to Sophie on holiday in 1998, and they announced their engagement in January 1999.Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnKate MiddletonMeghan MarklePrince HarryThe QueenRoyal Family
