Duchess Sophie has recalled a moment that sticks in her mind, in which the late Queen Elizabeth II gave her "the look" after a very public mishap. Although she married Prince Edward in 1999, there have been moments when Sophie has been caught off guard, including one in 2013.
A terrifying entrance
Speaking in the documentary, The Queen, 13 years ago, Sophie said: "The moment you go into a ballroom at Buckingham Palace it's terrifying. You see a wall of people, and you then think, 'Oh help, I've got to find my chair.'"
She then recalled that at one previous state banquet, she couldn't figure out where to go. The Duchess of Edinburgh revealed that you typically walk with someone who has "never visited before," which puts extra pressure on.
The stern look
"I have to say on more than one occasion I've managed to sit in the wrong seat," she continued. Speaking of the now late Queen, she added: "I shan't forget the look that I got when I couldn't find my chair and [the late Queen] was looking to do her speech. I decided I might study my notes a little more carefully next time."
Despite this mishap, Sophie remained one of the late Queen's favourite family members during her life, with Majesty magazine editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward previously speaking of their precious bond.
A genuine closeness
Speaking to OK! magazine, she said: "With the exception of her daughter Anne, the Queen was closer to Sophie than any of the other royal women. It really was a genuine closeness, and Elizabeth was always Sophie's biggest confidante."
Even to this day, Sophie has long been considered one of the monarchy's "safest pair of hands" for her loyalty to royal life. During a visit to South Sudan in 2020, The Sunday Times's chief foreign correspondent, Christina Lamb, asked if she genuinely shared the closest of bonds with the late monarch. In a revealing six-word remark, Sophie said: "I think so. I hope so."
Despite their close bond, the late Queen reportedly made one brutal comment early on in her relationship with Edward. Royal expert and biographer, Ingrid Seward, previously said: "[Sophie had] never encountered anything like the royal family and was very nervous, shy and tongue-tied when she first met the Queen, who as a result thought she was a bit dull and told a friend, 'You wouldn't notice her in a crowd'."
