When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, the late Queen Elizabeth II was keen for Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, to act as her mentor, a book claims – but it seems things didn’t go quite to plan
The Duchess of Edinburgh is often regarded as the Royal Family’s ‘secret weapon’ and a hard-working member of the Firm who is a safe pair of hands. But it seems it wasn’t always the case.
Sophie, the wife of the late Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward, has previously been honest about how it “took her a while to find her feet” when she became a full-time member of the working monarchy after leaving behind her successful career in PR. But more more than 25 years since she became a royal, she has carved out a role highlighting causes such as violence against women and sightloss.
So when it was announced that actress Meghan Markle would be marrying Sophie’s nephew, Prince Harry, it seemed natural that the late Queen suggested the then Countess of Wessex could mentor the royal newcomer.
However, as claimed by Gyles Brandreth in his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Meghan “made it clear” she didn’t need Sophie’s help and would instead rely on her new husband. The Duchess of Sussex quit her acting career upon marrying Harry in 2018 and pledged to “hit the ground running” on becoming a working royal.
Author Brandreth, who is a friend of the royals, 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. “Meghan made it clear that she did not feel she needed Sophie’s help. She had Harry.”
Meghan and Sophie’s bond came under focus in September when they travelled together in the same car during the Queen’s state funeral and her coffin procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall in 2022. Sophie, who grew up in a middle-class family and founded a PR firm before joining the Royal Family, has been compared with Meghan, as they both underwent a huge transition upon joining the family.
The former monarch also invited Sophie to several church services, and they enjoyed watching old movies together. Her late Majesty was also extremely close to Sophie’s children, her youngest grandchildren – Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex.
According to The Times, Sophie was the first member of the royal family to visit the Sussexes following the birth of Archie in 2019, going to the couple’s Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. In a rare interview with The Sunday Times, Sophie compared her experiences to Meghan’s.
Speaking to the paper, she compared Meghan and Harry’s experience to hers with Edward, commenting: “Remember I’d had five years to adjust [to royal life]. And for our six-month engagement, I was even staying at Buckingham Palace. Not that you necessarily know how it will pan out.”
Speaking about the Sussexes’ exit from the firm, she added, “I just hope they will be happy.” But possibly more pointedly, she said that the royal family does all they can to assist new members in adjusting to royal life, adding, “We all try to help any new members of the family.”