During King Charles’ battle with cancer, he has been relying heavily on other working royals to fulfill his duties. One notable family member who has significantly increased her role is the Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie Wessex.
Sophie joined the royal family 25 years ago when she married Queen Elizabeth II’s youngest son, the Duke of Edinburgh. In recent years, she has been dedicating more time to high-profile engagements. For instance, last month she attended the Sovereign’s garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond, speaking to OK!, shared her thoughts on Sophie’s future: “I believe Sophie will continue to increase her workload, solidifying her status as a key royal family member. She has truly come into her own recently and is now receiving the recognition she deserves.”
However, Bond noted that Sophie still has her own family to consider: “She has responsibilities to her 93-year-old father and her children, aged 20 and 16. Despite this, she is dedicating more time to high-profile royal engagements.”
Bond also praised Sophie for her overseas tours, often addressing challenging issues like violence against women in conflict zones, with little publicity.
“The King heavily relies on the small group of working royals around him, especially since his cancer diagnosis and with Catherine out of action. This has brought him closer than ever to his youngest brother and Sophie,” Bond added.
King Charles deeply appreciates the support Sophie gave to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, who regarded her as another daughter.
Despite her chemotherapy treatment, the Princess of Wales has managed two significant public appearances. In June, she stunned the nation at Trooping The Colour in a chic white mini dress, her first public outing since December. She was warmly received at the Wimbledon Men’s Final a month later. In a June statement, Kate conveyed her ongoing battle, noting that she is making good progress but still faces “good days and bad days” on her path to recovery.
