Prince Edward’s wife Duchess Sophie has been named Queen Elizabeth’s closest royal confidant, according to a new claim.
Royal experts continued to claim that Andrew was not the late queen’s favorite son.
The late monarch reportedly developed an unusually strong bond with her beautiful daughter-in-law, Duchess Sophie, that spanned more than two decades.
King Charles’ mother breathed her last in September 2022 at the age of 96 after a record 70-year reign. He left behind a vast royal legacy and decades of fascination with his private relationships.
Royal commentators and historians have now suggested that Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, 61, held an exceptionally trusted position within the royal household.
The relationship is said to have grown after Sophie married Edward in 1999 and strengthened through years of silent service to the Crown.
A palace insider said the connection between the two women was unlike almost any other relationship within the family.
They revealed: “Among all the women who married into the Royal Family, Sophie held an exceptionally special place in the Queen’s affections. The only woman who arguably enjoyed a deeper personal bond with Elizabeth was her daughter, Princess Anne.
The source continues: “What developed between Elizabeth and Sophia went far beyond the usual relationship between a sovereign and a daughter-in-law. Over the years, it developed into a genuine friendship based on trust, loyalty and mutual respect.
Isabel came to greatly value Sophie’s company and often found her presence reassuring both during difficult family times and during demanding periods of royal life.
Sophie was reportedly the only one the queen could speak openly to, someone whose judgment she respected and whose discretion she never doubted.
She was not simply another member of the family carrying out official duties: she became one of the monarch’s closest confidants and one of his most reliable sources of support.
Many people within royal circles also consider Sophie to be one of the most important figures in the Queen’s inner circle during the final decades of her reign.
He could simply enjoy the conversation, the company, and the sense of normalcy that Sophie brought to him. Sophie never tried to impress the monarch or curry favor. She was simply herself and that authenticity resonated deeply with Elizabeth.
