A single-word moniker bestowed upon Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, may reveal her true position within the Royal Family, it has been suggested. Married to the King’s youngest brother, Prince Edward, the Duchess has maintained a hectic schedule recently, reportedly clocking up “tens of thousands of miles” whilst carrying out Royal duties.
As a working member of The Firm, Sophie has journeyed across continents, engaging with conflict survivors and refugees whilst drawing attention to humanitarian crises in locations ranging from war-ravaged Sudan to Bosnia. The Duchess’s itinerary has also encompassed Ukraine, Kosovo and Sierra Leone, with the Royal’s “secret weapon” commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide and engaging with peacekeeping forces in the DR Congo. Sophie’s selection of causes has been “bold”, according to the Telegraph’s Hannah Furness, who emphasised a particular one-word description that could further illustrate her importance within the Royal Family.
Hannah observed: “It is difficult work: vivid, traumatic, and often far, far removed from the soap opera of royal headlines back in Britain.”
“Not for nothing is Sophie regularly called the Royal Family’s “secret weapon”; the quiet “saviour” of the monarchy which has been rather lacking in active members of late through little fault of its own.”
She continued: “The causes she has chosen to champion are bold, and she is unflinching in talking about the crimes that others might hide in euphemism.”
Hannah suggested the Duchess is “ready to do more” and poised to assume a “more prominent” role once her nephew, Prince William, who is “fond” of her, takes the throne following his father.
Last July, reports emerged that Duchess Sophie felt “relieved” at no longer having to curtsey to Meghan Markle following her elevation to a more senior title, according to a friend.
Sophie, formerly the Countess of Wessex, received her Royal upgrade when Edward was granted his new title, enabling her to claim the distinguished position of Duchess of Edinburgh.
Prior to this change, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry‘s wife, held a superior position in the hierarchy, meaning Royal etiquette required Sophie to curtsey to her at events.
According to Hello! magazine, a friend told journalists: “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.”
Sophie, while addressing the idea that she’s the Royal Family’s secret weapon, admitted to The Mirror that she likes to “fly under the radar”, and although it’s “all very well”, if nobody knows about it, perhaps it’s “too secret”.
She remarked: “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.”
Sophie quipped: “I just wonder what they are going to describe me as next.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
