Sophie's relationship with the Queen and Royal Family

[Claire]

I was reading an article about William and harry's girlfriends and the fact that they haven't been seen at church and other family functions.
The writer brings up that Sophie had unpredecented access to the royal family from the first months of her relationship with Edward, appearing regularly at church and at family events.

I remember Sophie appearing with the royal family at Brittania in 1995 and the headline read "The Royal family" at the bottom. She was also at the decommissioning of Brittania later in 1997. Why?

[selrahc4]

Originally Posted by Claire

I remember Sophie appearing with the royal family at Brittania in 1995 and the headline read "The Royal family" at the bottom. She was also at the decommissioning of Brittania later in 1997. Why?

Probably because they wanted her to be there.

[Claire]

Well yes, but the press didn't seem to ask why a member of the public was sitting in the front row of the decommissioning.
Her presence at state occasions and family functions was so routine by 1994 that the press simply stopped reporting it. Was that the plan?
I'm thinking that the only reason Diana and Sarah weren't at church and such was they had a relative short courting period.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Claire

I was reading an article about William and harry's girlfriends and the fact that they haven't been seen at church and other family functions.
The writer brings up that Sophie had unpredecented access to the royal family from the first months of her relationship with Edward, appearing regularly at church and at family events.

I remember Sophie appearing with the royal family at Brittania in 1995 and the headline read "The Royal family" at the bottom. She was also at the decommissioning of Brittania later in 1997. Why?

She attended the Wedding of Lady Srah armstrong-Jones in 1994 and the Thanksgiving service for the Golden wedding of the Queen.

[Nichola]

Does anyone think that Edward's position in the line of succession played a part in allowing him more space than his brothers in the 1980s? I think that, like a modern day Peter Phillips, he was allowed more space to pursue his relationship as he is unlikely ever to become King. For example, Autumn accompanied Peter on the Queen's a couple of years ago.

On the subject of his brothers, does anyone think that their failed relationships in the early 1990s allowed Edward more freedom to pursue his relationship? I mean, perhaps the Royals relaxed their attitudes more and concentrated on what it took to make a relationship work?

Also, Edward has never attracted the same kind of attention as his siblings, or been in a public-orientated role (or certainly wasn't during his courtship with Sophie) so perhaps, again drawing a similarity to a modern day Peter Phillips, he was given more privacy because of this, as people didn't 'know' him?

[Claire]

She actually attended the Queen's Golden wedding anniversary without Edward. He was down in Australia and New Zealand. I remember she came with Lord Snowdon. She also attend church on that Sunday with the royals, without Edward.

[Roslyn]

Didn't Sophie live with Edward at Buckingham Palace for some time? It could have been for a few years though I'm not sure. I'm not surprised that someone of relatively mature years who is in a long-term live-in relationship with a member of the family is likely to be treated more like a member of the family, especially if the family - particularly the Queen - likes her. And also if the press doesn't seem particularly interested in her.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Claire

She actually attended the Queen's Golden wedding anniversary without Edward. He was down in Australia and New Zealand. I remember she came with Lord Snowdon. She also attend church on that Sunday with the royals, without Edward.

Edward was certainly at the Golden Wedding. He was the host af an special Show at the Royal Festival House the evening before, which he had organized himself.

I don't know with whom she came in church. On german TV the moderators said she came in with the Royal Family but it was acutally Zara and not Sophie, but difficult to recognize because of the hat.

[Regina]

I read, some years ago, that Sophie had a good relationship with the Queen and the rest of the british royal family prior to the engagement. The only member of this family who seemed to have some kind of jealousy or irritation toward Sophie was Diana. The article said Diana used to interrupt her while she was talking to start a conversation about a completely different subject.

[Royal Fan]

Thats very Rude,why would Diana do that?

[Regina]

Originally Posted by Royal Fan

Thats very Rude,why would Diana do that?

Yes, it is. Diana was also jealous of Sarah when she arrived to the royal family. Remembr Diana was an insecure woman and any freshman lady could represent a "danger" to her.

[sjetajiem]

Well this is the Daily Mail and it is a piece of speculative journalism

[Claire]

This is very funny. After numerous articles about the Queen's relationship with Sophie and her lack of interest in her other daughter's in law. Finally the Daily Express puts in their two pence.
Daily Express | Columnists :: Sophie's big bond with HM

[Warren]

Thanks Claire.
A couple of quotes from the Daily Express article...

SOPHIE'S BIG BOND WITH HM

Now the reason for this closeness can be disclosed: the two have bonded over their shared love of military history. Such is Sophie’s interest, part­icularly in 20th-century history, that she has just returned from a private break in Normandy where she spent three days visiting the battlefields of both World Wars.

Sophie’s chum adds that it is this mutual passion for the past that has drawn the Queen, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of historical events, to her daughter-in-law. “Apart from Prince Charles none of the other members of the Royal Family seem overly interested in history, so the Queen just loves spending time with Sophie. They swap books all the time and they quite often disappear for hours looking at things in the royal archives at Windsor.”

[muriel]

oh well, that explains everything!!!!

[kimebear]

Also, IMO there is much to be said about the Queen's close relationship with Sophie. Having once referred to Princess Michael of Kent as being "much grander than we are", I don't think HM would get on particularly well with an elitist upstart daughter-in-law.

[Warren]

To give further insight into the close relationship between HM and the Countess of Wessex, here is a link to a Daily Mail story about Christmas without Sophie:
(kindly posted by Florencia elsewhere)

Why the Queen will be lonely this Christmas
.