Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is now eligible for promotion to Duchess of Edinburgh if her husband, Prince Edward, assumes his late father’s title as Duke of Edinburgh as expected.
This elevation of Sophie, age 57, to royal status may be viewed as a moving tribute to the late Queen’s daughter-in-law, who affectionately nicknamed her “mama.”
The transmission of Queen Elizabeth II’s title of Duchess of Edinburgh to Sophie would place her in the spotlight as one of a limited number of working royals, as King Charles begins to shrink the size of the monarchy.
The King, the current Duke of Edinburgh after inheriting the position from Prince Philip, has the final say on whether to bestow his youngest brother the title.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 04: Sophie, Countess of Wessex (right) and Princess Anne, Princess Royal (second-left) watch as Queen Elizabeth II (center) cuts a cake commemorating 100 years of the Women’s Institute on June 4, 2015 at the Royal Albert Hall.
The tearful eyes Sophie, Countess of Wessex, examines the floral tributes and heartfelt inscriptions left for the Queen at Crathie Kirk church near Balmoral on Saturday.
Saturday, outside Balmoral Castle, Lady Louise Windsor, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Anne, Princess Royal, wave to the public.
Prince Philip had expressed his desire for his youngest son to assume the title when the time was appropriate, and his eldest son, then-Prince Charles, was believed to have agreed.
The Telegraph claims that experts now believe Prince Edward will receive the Duke of Edinburgh title. Previously, it was assumed he had changed his mind after the death of his father.
The king would need to issue letters patent – an order from the monarch awarding a title – to create a new dukedom of Edinburgh for the title to change hands.
If implemented, this would be a heartwarming and enduring link between the late Queen and her adored daughter-in-law, Sophie.
At a service for her mother-in-law near Balmoral, the Countess of Wessex was spotted weeping while bending to view tributes, demonstrating the intensity of their relationship, which had grown to the point where the Queen reportedly treated her as a “second daughter.”
Sophie was cared for by the Queen when her 77-year-old mother, Mary Rhys-Jones, died of stomach cancer in 2005.
As Bagshot Park, the residence of Prince Edward and Sophie, is only a short distance from Windsor, it allowed the Queen’s youngest son and his family to frequently visit.
Together walking their pets was a favorite pastime of the pair. Sophie and her mother-in-law delighted in their common pastime of researching military history by spending many hours looking over historical documents at the Royal Archives at Windsor.
Monday in Edinburgh, Sophie, Countess of Wessex attends a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sophie (left) has also become a source of advice for the new Princess of Wales (right), who sees that Sophie admires the way she balances her royal responsibilities with motherhood.
Even though she was unable to meet the Queen in person, the Countess of Wessex made care to contact her “mama” every day, and she was the first royal to speak about Prince Philip’s death.
Sophie is one of the few female senior royals, along with Kate, the Princess of Wales, and Princess Anne, who will guide the Crown into the next period.
The Daily Mail reported on Monday that the Oxford public relations expert has received praise for her efforts on preventable blindness and the subject of sexual abuse in conflict.
She has also become a source of advice for the new Princess of Wales, who recognizes that Sophie admires the way she juggles her royal responsibilities with motherhood.