Duchess Sophie’s Touching Words For Princess Catherine After Surgery Makes Fans Melt Heart

Duchess Sophie’s Touching Words For Princess Catherine After Surgery Makes Fans Melt Heart

Despite their positions as prominent royals, the two friends have made it clear that their children’s right to a private life is of the upmost importance and wish to give their families as normal an upbringing as possible. The exchange of parenting tips during the arrival of Prince George exemplifies the depth of their friendship, reflecting shared experiences as mothers within the royal family.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, is perhaps one of the most high-profile members of the British royal family. Having been married to Prince William since 2011, she is generally considered a great influence on the family’s reputation in the modern world. Of course, she is not the only senior member of the family to generally be looked at in a positive light, as Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has also been seen as a real force for good in the family since she married Prince Edward in 1999.

Still, like most families, the royals are not immune to reports of discord within their ranks. From the days of Princess Diana (and all the drama that surrounded her place in the firm) to today, prominent members of the British royal family are often reported to be feuding. Catherine is certainly no stranger to this phenomenon, especially following the release of Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare.” The book indicated she and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had significant issues getting along. Fortunately for the princess, it does not appear that her other relationships within the family are nearly as contentious. In fact, when it comes to her aunt-in-law, Sophie, things seem much more cordial.

Looking back at both women’s histories and their similarities, it could be said that they are not just family but friends. Here’s how their relationship has developed over the years into one that isn’t frosty.

Sophie helped Catherine adjust to royal life early on

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh officially married into the royal family on June 19, 1999, almost a full 12 years before Catherine and William’s 2011 nuptials. With more than a few years of experience already underway as a working royal, Sophie became one of the members who appeared to take the then-newly-minted Duchess of Cambridge under her wing as she learned to adjust to her new life. Despite Princess Catherine now having served as a working royal for over a decade, it seems she still leans on Sophie for support.

“Many of the poses of the two women together show Sophie face-checking Kate with quite strong bouts of watchful-looking eye contact to suggest she’s taking a semi-maternal approach,” body language expert Judi James told Express of the pair back in 2020. “However, she also has raised brows and what’s called a ‘pinging’ smile that implies she wants to ensure Kate is enjoying herself.” James continued, saying: “There is some mirroring when the two women walk together but it’s primarily Sophie projecting the stronger signals of relaxed confidence while Kate smiles happily at her side.”

The influence Sophie has had on Catherine has paid off, as the princess certainly holds her own in public, and the pair genuinely seem close whenever they are together.

Sophie and Catherine share similar interests – especially when it comes to sports

It certainly helps to have shared interests when forming a bond, and thankfully Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, have similar hobbies.

“The royal ladies have similar interests and passions, including their love of sport and fashion,” Danielle Stacey, royal correspondent for Hello! magazine, told the publication. “They also share common causes within their royal work, with both Kate and Sophie championing the work of children and young people’s charities.”

When it comes to sports, Catherine is noted as a royal patron of institutions like SportsAid, The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, The Lawn Tennis Association, and The 1851 Trust. As for the Duchess of Edinburgh, she serves as a patron for England Hockey, the British Cycling Foundation, the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association, and the U.K. Armed Forces Winter Sports Association. The two royal women have also been known to enjoy sailing.

They share a connection through the normal ways they met their husbands

Both Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Catherine married into royalty, and unlike some of their predecessors, they share a bond over meeting their husbands in relatively normal ways. Sophie managed to meet Prince Edward, the youngest son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, while building her career in public relations. In fact, their first formal meeting occurred in 1993, when Sophie was hired to discuss a Real Tennis charity event that Edward was also working on. As for Catherine, she met Prince William in 2001 when they were both students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. The pair were friends at first, but William’s interest in his eventual spouse was piqued when Catherine modeled in a student fashion show.

“Kate hadn’t told him exactly what she’d be wearing. So, when she strode out in uh, well, her underwear and a see through dress, I mean, William was gobsmacked,” royal correspondent Katie Nicholl told ABC News. “William just turned to [his friend] Fergus and said, ‘Wow. Kate’s hot.'”

Having met their husbands outside of traditional royal circles likely helped the women cement their bond, as many other women in the family had previously met their spouses through royal or aristocratic connections.

Sophie and Catherine both grew up outside of royal circles

It was easier for both women to meet their husbands in relatively normal ways because they also share backgrounds growing up as non-royals. Prior to marrying Prince Edward, the Duchess of Edinburgh was known as Sophie Rhys-Jones. She was born to her father Christopher Rhys-Jones, a salesman, and her mother Mary O’Sullivan, a secretary who also worked for a charity. Sophie grew up in the West Kent Village of Brenchley and attended Kent College for Girls before going on to attend West Kent College Tonbridge. Following her schooling, she went on to work as a secretary at a London public relations firm and set out on the career path that let her meet Edward.