The 60-year-old royal has a two-word nickname within The Firm thanks to her tireless work
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh’s two-word nickname, has been unveiled, as she is predicted to take on a prominent role within the Royal Family. The wife of Prince Edward for over 26 years, Sophie has dedicated much of her royal life to charitable work, particularly focusing on women’s rights. However, her efforts have often gone unnoticed, with minimal public recognition of her extensive contributions.
Veteran photographer Arthur Edwards, who has documented royal events for nearly fifty years, shared on The Sun’s Royal podcast that while Sophie is “a joy to photograph,” her work rarely makes headlines. However, given the King’s recent health struggles and Prince William’s children being too young to undertake the rigorous demands of royal duties, some experts believe that Sophie and Edward could offer valuable support to the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The Sun‘s royal editor Matt Wilkinson highlighted how Sophie has always been referred to as the royals’ “secret weapon,” pondering: “I’m just wondering whether the kind of House of Edinburgh could replace the House of Sussex at some stage.”
ITV royal correspondent Chris Ship agreed, suggesting: “I think they could be an additional resource for Buckingham Palace.”
Chris further noted that while the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh aren’t exactly “spring chickens,” they provide a sense of continuity, as they represent a generation “in between William and Kate and the King and Queen.”
Royal photographer Arthur Edwards has suggested that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie could also provide much-needed support to the royal family’s ‘reserves bench’ by taking on more official duties.
Arthur has expressed his puzzlement over the lack of media attention towards the Edinburghs, despite their efforts. He pointed out: “For some reason, newspapers and TV don’t publish [the photos], they don’t run the stories. They don’t go to India when she goes to India, they don’t go to Mali and these places where she goes. It just seems that all the good work she does goes unreported.”
Chris highlighted that the Palace’s communication strategy might be impeding Sophie’s visibility, mentioning: “Often, they don’t tell us in advance where she’s going and only tell us when she’s already got there – which doesn’t help when you’ve got to dispatch cameras halfway around the world.”
Although Sophie and Edward’s children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, 21, and her brother James, Earl of Wessex, 17, have not expressed a wish to undertake full-time royal roles, Lady Louise has caught the eye of royal enthusiasts as a possible invaluable addition to the family.
At 60 years old, Sophie continues to energetically support numerous causes, serving as patron for more than 70 charitable entities, including Childline and the London College of Fashion. The Duchess of Edinburgh is typically involved in over 200 engagements annually, spanning schools, universities, and military establishments.
Indeed, with Harry and Meghan having stepped back, and both His Majesty the King and the Princess of Wales needing to pay extra attention to their health, there’s a pressing need to bolster the royal family’s front line — and this could be Sophie’s moment in the spotlight.
