Diana and Sophie, Countess of Wessex

[Miss Hathaway]

Whether true or false or somewhere in between, there was plenty written about this in 1995-1996.

CUT & DRIED PROOF; Di copies ME says furious Sophie. - Free Online Library

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The way that article was written... it fits an amateuristic school paper. Giving the timeline of the separations and divorces of Diana and Sarah versus the start of the relationship and the marriage of Sophie (7 years after the separation of Diana and Sarah) I guess there was limited interaction between the two and Sophie will have been wise enough to avoid these two outmanoeuvred and possibly resentful ladies.

 

[Lee-Z]

Whether true or false or somewhere in between, there was plenty written about this in 1995-1996.

CUT & DRIED PROOF; Di copies ME says furious Sophie. - Free Online Library

if i read it correctly, this article is from the Mirror, which is a tabloid, i believe?

I'm sure tabloids have written just about everything about the british royals that you can imagine (and some things you can't imagine )

 

[Isabella]

It's much ado about nothing from the press, as usual, I think. Given all that was going on in Diana's and Sarah's lives, I doubt they really gave much thought to Sophie. And, considering the timing at which Sophie started dating Edward, and the fact Sophie became close to his family, I don't think there would've been too much desire on her part to try to be like Diana (who, obviously, wouldn't have been particularly popular in the family at the time). The media always likes a good catfight, though, real or imagined.

The way that article was written... it fits an amateuristic school paper. Giving the timeline of the separations and divorces of Diana and Sarah versus the start of the relationship and the marriage of Sophie (7 years after the separation of Diana and Sarah) I guess there was limited interaction between the two and Sophie will have been wise enough to avoid these two outmanoeuvred and possibly resentful ladies.

The "quote" from Sophie (to a "pal") sounds about like something a 12-year-old would say. It's clearly one of those cases in which the tabloids don't even care about whether or not it sounds plausible, they just wanted to see if they could get some mileage out of throwing Sophie into the mix with Diana and Sarah. I think, as you point out, Sophie was wise enough to steer clear of all that mess.

 

[Dman]

The press and others like putting these royal women against each other in their writing. Sophie did look like Diana in those early years, but I don't think she tried to make herself look like her at all. Even Sophie went on to publically mention that she had to do double takes with her and Diana's pictures.

Most likely there was no bitterness between Diana and Sophie or with Sarah. Again, when it comes to writing about Diana, fiction pretty much takes over.

 

[Osipi]

Another thing that comes to mind is its been said that towards the end of the marriages, Diana and Sarah had a falling out and didn't speak to each other. I'm not sure of the time lime of that though.

 

[Isabella]

Another thing that comes to mind is its been said that towards the end of the marriages, Diana and Sarah had a falling out and didn't speak to each other. I'm not sure of the time lime of that though.

I think they had a falling out around the time the separations happened, but then were close again for a little while after they were both officially separated. It didn't last too long, though, because I think Sarah has said that she and Diana hadn't spoken to each other for about two years before Diana died. So, I think during much of the time that Sophie was on the scene, Diana and Fergie weren't really talking. Sophie may have been a brief object of curiosity to them when she first started dating Edward, but I really can't imagine that their interest would have been anything more than fleeting.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Totally agree with your observation.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I still come across pictures of Diana where she resembles Sophie. There's one fairly recent photo of Sophie in which she looks very much like Diana, and I don't think she would be copying the late Princess now. I think that there was always a certain resemblance. Sophie has always struck me as a confident person. A confident person doesn't need to copy someone else.

Definitely. Looks at how Richard Kay, at the Daily Mail, always tries to make everything about Diana. Princess Charlotte's christening was written about through the 'dear departed Diana' lense. The same publication makes snarky, class-based comments about the Middletons. They did the same thing with Sophie and her family. The difference was that Sophie's family wasn't wealthy and didn't go on holidays and didn't mix with the aristocracy. There wasn't so much to have class envy about.

Just want to add that the press during Diana/early Sophie was basically the same press that we have to day. So there was a lot of garbage reporting about their relationship. Put it through that filter, folks.

 

[Miss Hathaway]

The press and others like putting these royal women against each other in their writing. Sophie did look like Diana in those early years, but I don't think she tried to make herself look like her at all

When Sophie met Edward for the first time, she had a chin length bob. As soon as they became an item, she cut her hair and lightened it and began dressing more like Diana. And why not? Diana was a leader in fashion.

 

[Osipi]

I don't think it would be emulating Diana so much as dressing and looking along the lines of what was popular and trending at the time. A lot of women dressed similar to how Diana did.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Perhaps Sophie thought that a shorter haircut was more businesslike as well. The Diana look was still in style in the early 1990s. The fashion world influenced Diana's choices, and we dressed in the way that the leaders in society dressed. It's the way fashion works.

 

[Curryong]

Diana was always conscious of her image and she may have been amused by what she probably regarded as Sophie 'copying' her, who knows.

I don't believe the much touted first meeting of Diana and Sophie, with Diana tearing poor Sophie to pieces, happened at all. The separation of Charles and Diana occurred at the end of 1992 with the formal announcement in the Commons. Sophie and Edward are believed to have met at a charity event in 1993, dating then becoming seriously involved later in that year.

I do think that Diana met Sophie at various functions after her separation and the two women were probably quite cordial. However, I don't think they could have been friends (or enemies) really.

In the last weeks before the formal separation Diana avoided Charles's company and that of his family like the plague, unless she absolutely had to be there in her position as Princess of Wales. There was a fight for instance about the children going down to Sandringham that autumn.

What happened before the separation would certainly have been duplicated afterwards as far as seeing the rest of the royal family was concerned. Diana was never really close to Edward, and when after 1993 would she have had many opportunities of meeting his girlfriend? Not many at all, IMO.

This is an article written just before Sophie and Edward's wedding which goes into the Diana and Fergie phenomenon and the royals' hopes for something different!

Profile: Sophie Rhys-Jones - At last a safe pair of hands - Voices - The Independent

 

[Denville]

I am farly sure that I've read in an Andrew Morton book that Diana didn't take to Sophie, and that Sophie, influenced by what the RF felt about Di then, didn't take to her. But she did seem to copy her look and there was a very slight similarty. Sophie is average looking adn Diana was striking. I beleive that Diana did mention that she had noted that Sophie was imitating her look

 

[Skippyboo]

Diana went to weddings of Edward's cousins David and Sarah in 93 and 94. However, I don't think Sophie went because that's pretty early for her to attend a wedding with the whole family there. So I don't think it's a guarantee that Diana and Sophie would have met and if so not in depth.


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[Dman]

Diana went to weddings of Edward's cousins David and Sarah in 93 and 94. However, I don't think Sophie went because that's pretty early for her to attend a wedding with the whole family there. So I don't think it's a guarantee that Diana and Sophie would have met and if so not in depth.


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Sophie did attend Sarah and Daniel Chatto wedding in 94 was pictured with Diana for the first time-
https://juliapgelardi.wordpress.com...-sarah-armstrong-jones-to-daniel-chatto-1994/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/110619734570316437

Remember when Edward and Sophie started to date, she was pretty much welcomed by the royal family very early on. She attended events with the family and vacationed with the family on Britannia and at Balmoral. I think Sophie was first Royal girlfriend that was pictured with the family freely.

Diana and Sophie saw each other at private family gatherings. Don't think they knew each other all that well though.

 

[Skippyboo]

Sarah and Edward grew up together being only a couple of months apart in age. I believe Sarah is Louise's godmother. So it makes sense that Edward could bring his girlfriend without being engaged. Sarah's wedding wasn't a heavy protocol event.

Maybe after what happened with Andrew and Charles's marriages, the royals started to let the girlfriends get a better look at Royal life and the family before joining. It's stared with Sophie and we saw it continue with Kate. Even Chelsy got a little bit of it.


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[Dman]

Sarah and Edward grew up together being only a couple of months apart in age. I believe Sarah is Louise's godmother. So it makes sense that Edward could bring his girlfriend without being engaged. Sarah's wedding wasn't a heavy protocol event.

Maybe after what happened with Andrew and Charles's marriages, the royals started to let the girlfriends get a better look at Royal life and the family before joining. It's stared with Sophie and we saw it continue with Kate. Even Chelsy got a little bit of it.


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Sophie was welcomed by the family very early on and was pictured with them on a regular bases. William and Catherine conducted their relationship more privately, so she wasn't pictured and included with the family in the same way. Sophie was pretty much welcomed as a daughter-in law by The Queen and Prince Philip before her marriage into the family.

I think it's one of the reasons why Sophie have two Knighthoods from The Queen pretty much early on. Their personal relationship goes back to the early 90's.

 

[Skippyboo]

It's also a daughter in law versus a granddaughter in law. Edward is bring Sophie to meet his parents. William did the same thing with Kate. She is going to be initially closer to William immediate family - Charles and Harry before moving on meeting the Queen and Philip. I was just thinking about Kate attending events like Peter's wedding and Garter Day as a girlfriend which in the past she wouldn't have attended without being engaged.


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[Dman]

It's also a daughter in law versus a granddaughter in law. Edward is bring Sophie to meet his parents. William did the same thing with Kate. She is going to be initially closer to William immediate family - Charles and Harry before moving on meeting the Queen and Philip. I was just thinking about Kate attending events like Peter's wedding and Garter Day as a girlfriend which in the past she wouldn't have attended without being engaged.


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Yeah, I just think the many years Sophie knew the family and in a more public way made a little difference though.

 

[Nico]

But she did seem to copy her look and there was a very slight similarty. Sophie is average looking adn Diana was striking. I beleive that Diana did mention that she had noted that Sophie was imitating her look

Wait a minute . Is it me or are we throwing the lovely contess of Wessex under a bus to favorise Diana ? "Average looking" what the hell is that ?
The Diana offensive seen lately on various threads is getting out of hand imo.

 

[Lee-Z]

ah, i thought it was just me who had that feeling there seems to be a separate thread for every person Diana had some sort of relationship with

 

[Molly2101]

Sophie was welcomed by the family very early on and was pictured with them on a regular bases. William and Catherine conducted their relationship more privately, so she wasn't pictured and included with the family in the same way. Sophie was pretty much welcomed as a daughter-in law by The Queen and Prince Philip before her marriage into the family.

I think it's one of the reasons why Sophie have two Knighthoods from The Queen pretty much early on. Their personal relationship goes back to the early 90's.

I think the Queen encouraged Edward to bring Sophie and to introduce to their lifestyle quite early on, essentially so Sophie would know what she was "letting herself in for". Marrying a royal, be it little known Prince Edward or the well known Prince William, involves giving up a huge part of your life - anonymity. Edward said in an interview very early on in his relationship with Sophie that you have no idea how precious your anonymity is until you lose it.

There was always the thought that Diana and Sarah were not prepared as such for royal life and that's partly why their marriages ended. The Queen did not want to see another divorce in her family, thus allowing Sophie to move freely with Edward. Although they strongly deny living together, Sophie spent a lot of time at Buckingham Palace in Edward's apartment. The Church even went as far as to say it was wrong of the Queen to allow them to be under the same roof, allowing "temptation" to take over, which as we know is very much frowned upon by the bible. I just think the Queen wanted this relationship to work (and so far 20 odd years later it has!).

I don't think we'll ever know what Sophie thought of Diana as I doubt she will ever voice these feelings unless she's in an interview after her divorce, if it were to happen.

 

[TLLK]

You make some excellent points Molly.

 

[Rudolph]

Didn't Sophie make a reference to Diana in the fake Sheik tapes or am I mistaken?

I don't follow Sophie so... or maybe Sophie made a reference about the Queen. Something about the 'old girl'?

 

[tommy100]

The 'old girl' was, I think, a reference to the Queen Mum.

I think the Queen did permit Edward and Sophie to be more open with their relationship, Andrew and Charles both married relatively soon and so I think learning from that the Queen was more willing to allow Ed & Sophie to be together for much longer to ensure they were both fully committed and happy before marrying.

 

[Rudolph]

Sarah told CNN, her and Andrew only had dinner together 6 times together before their marriage.

It seems like a hundred years ago, but this was only the 80s and Charles and Andrew basically went into their marriages blind.

 

[Mermaid1962]

They're different women and both beautiful. I'd hardly describe Sophie as "average looking".

Wait a minute . Is it me or are we throwing the lovely contess of Wessex under a bus to favorise Diana ? "Average looking" what the hell is that ?
The Diana offensive seen lately on various threads is getting out of hand imo.

The initial report was that Sophie referred to the Queen Mother as the "old dear"; but when the transcript was released, she called her Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The reference to Diana was when Sophie was first on the scene.

I don't follow Sophie so... or maybe Sophie made a reference about the Queen. Something about the 'old girl'?

Word by word, Sophie digs herself deeper into trouble | Politics | The Guardian

 

[royal rob]

I think all we need now is a Diana and everyone she ever spoke to thread and we will have a thread for every minute of her life. It's getting really over the top


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[Curryong]

There are a lot of Diana threads, but they've almost all been going a long time. For instance, this one began in 2007. The thread dealing with her death, transfer of body etc started in 2003. Most of the others began in the mid 2000's; 2004/5 etc. So there must have been posters feeling that there was a need for them at the time, and they're still active now.

There might be a case for merging some, perhaps. For instance, I don't think there is really a need for separate threads for Diana's relationships with Sophie, Sarah, the Queen etc.