Princess Kate becomes 'firm friends' with one particular royal who has 'been there from the start'

The Duchess of Edinburgh has long been seen as the royal family’s safest pair of hands. So much so, she and Prince Edward were given the task of embarking on a significant visit to Japan last week to strengthen Britain’s relations with the country. But along with being a trusted representative of King Charles, the duchess is held in particular high regard by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Sources suggest that when William eventually ascends to the throne, his Aunt Sophie will have a huge role to play supporting him and his wife Kate – something she too will no doubt approve of.

The two women have grown to be firm friends – with the pair both having experienced a middle-class upbringing, before marrying into the royal family and forging important roles.

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And Kate is said to have a quiet admiration for Sophie for the way she and Edward have brought up their two children, Lady Louise Windsor, 21, and their 17-year-old son James, Earl of Wessex – as she raises royal children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

At royal events, the two royal women have often been seen sharing a joke or giggling – as seen on Garter Day earlier this year, when they proudly watched their husbands take part in the ancient procession.

But not only does Sophie bring a lighter touch to proceedings when out with Kate, she is also there to offer a reassuring hand after a “brutal” year for the princess and her family.

Last November on Remembrance Sunday, when Kate made a rare appearance at the Cenotaph after finishing her chemotherapy treatment following her cancer diagnosis, Sophie was seen placing a reassuring hand on her back. Then at Kate’s Christmas Carol concert last December, Sophie sat beside the princess for the emotional service.

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond says, “It’s sometimes hard to remember that Sophie is Catherine’s aunt by marriage, they seem more like sisters. I think they have a real mutual affection and friendship.

“Sophie has been there for Catherine from the start as a mentor and perhaps someone she can share the peculiar ups and downs of royal life with. They are two women who have come from middle-class backgrounds to assume uniquely senior roles in the life of the nation.

“I think William will be very grateful to have Edward and Sophie alongside when the time comes for him to be King. With no Harry to lean on, he will appreciate the support of his uncle and aunt, and be grateful that they are willing to bear their share of the considerable workload.”

Last week’s trip to Japan, which saw Sophie carry out a string of engagements in Tokyo and Osaka, comes as she has taken on a more prominent role on the international stage in recent months.

She stepped up to represent the King in Bosnia earlier this year to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, while other duties have seen her travel to Ukraine and Iraq, championing women and supporting those who have experienced conflict-related sexual violence.

And for Jennie, there is one clear reason why Sophie has seen her international profile get ever bigger in recent times. She explains to OK !, “Sophie is very down-to-earth — and that’s one reason why she’s so popular with the public— and with the royal family.

“She is trusted by them and has shown she can pull her weight in carrying out a steady round of royal duties — many of them without any great fanfare or fuss. She is a safe pair of hands, and she’s a very charming woman as well.”

While in Japan last week, Sophie and Edward visited the UK and Japanese Pavilions at Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai. As Japan’s largest international event this decade, the aim was to bring together people and innovations from around the world to address global issues.

However, it did mean the couple weren’t present at Windsor Castle for the headline-grabbing state visit to the UK by US President Donald Trump, which tied up most of the rest of the working royals.

Jennie explains, “The four-day trip has been all about strengthening bilateral relations. The engagements themselves were less important than the fact that two senior royals travelled over to cement the post-war friendship between the UK and Japan.

“The Japanese Imperial House is recognised as the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world and commands deep respect.

“I remember going to Tokyo with Diana, Princess of Wales, in the 1990s. The crowds were enthusiastic and curious: they loved her comparatively down-to-earth attitude. The princess herself performed the deepest curtsy I’ve ever seen when she met the Emperor.”

"The trip also saw Sophie take part in outings that resonate with her passion for empowering women and making sure their voices are heard. It is all part of her hard-hitting and often gritty work highlighting the plight of women, including that of the survivors of sexual violence in conflict, which she’s admitted in the past are “not easy subject matters”.

In recent years, courtiers and charity bosses have hailed Sophie as a dependable figure in the slimmed-down working monarchy – earning her the often-used description of being the royal family’s “secret weapon”.

With her role travelling the world and facing tough subjects head-on, Sophie admitted in a chat with OK ! earlier this year that sometimes it can “take its toll on emotions, that’s for sure”.

She said, “ I hope that I make a difference. It’s very hard because sometimes these issues are very overwhelming because of the scale. “But of course being practical, my role and my husband’s role is to support the King as it was to support the Queen and we are fortunate because we are able to not be in a front and centre role, so it allows us the flexibility to explore our own interests.”

And reacting to her description as the royals’ “secret weapon”, she also revealed, “I like to fly under the radar. It’s all very well being a secret weapon but if no one knows, maybe it’s too secret.”

However, after a pause, she added, “I suppose I should take it as a backhanded compliment. 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. I just wonder what they are going to describe me as next!”

Part of Sophie’s bigger profile of late has been somewhat accidental and comes as the slimmed-down monarchy has recently looked slimmer than ever with fewer working royals on the ground. This has been due to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure from royal life back in 2020 which followed Prince Andrew stepping away from royal duties in 2019.

Jennie adds, “Almost by default, Edward and Sophie have become increasingly important to the future of the monarchy. "With no Andrew and no Harry, the King’s little brother and his wife are now integral to the work of the monarchy.

“In a different scenario they might have expected to play a relatively minor role, but with the working royals now so thin on the ground, Edward and Sophie have full-time, high-profile jobs.”

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