Duchess Sophie’s reunion with Prince Edward has finally happened after he missed two significant family moments where she stepped out solo.
Duchess Sophie has reportedly enjoyed a special reunion with Prince Edward after recent weeks saw her attend two major Royal Family events on her own. As working royals, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are used to undertaking engagements solo. However, some people might have been left a little confused this month as Duchess Sophie attended the State Banquet held in honour of the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, without Prince Edward.
This was the first State Banquet held in the UK this year and most of the most senior members of the Royal Family were there, including King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales. The Duke of Edinburgh also reportedly wasn’t able to attend His Majesty’s 75th birthday dinner on 14th November either.
Instead, Duchess Sophie attended both on her own alongside their wider family members for a very good reason. Whilst it might not be widely known to fans, Prince Edward has just returned from a two-week overseas tour, which saw him visit Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia.
According to Hello!, the Court Circular has now detailed that the Duke of Edinburgh landed at Heathrow Airport from Indonesia on 26th November. This means that he will have reunited with Duchess Sophie after weeks apart and he was likely excited to see her after arriving back at their Bagshot Park home.
Duchess Sophie’s reunion with Prince Edward comes just a few weeks after she undertook a solo overseas visit of her own. The Duchess of Edinburgh was in Canada from 3rd November and returned on her daughter Lady Louise Windsor’s 20th birthday on 8th November.
The next time Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are most likely to be seen in public together with the rest of the Royal Family will be Christmas Day. The royals traditionally walk to church to attend the Christmas Day service, although it’s also possible the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will also attend Kate’s Together at Christmas carol concert together in December.
Duchess Sophie has gone to the concert previous years and she and Kate have been lauded by the BBC’s former royal commentator Jennie Bond as a dynamic duo. Speaking to OK!, Jennie described the two women as “key members of the list of working royals” and praised them for their ability to “connect” with people.
Jennie declared, "Both she and Catherine have a common touch…perhaps because they lived ‘normal’ lives before marrying. They connect with the people they meet and look as if they really want to chat. They are the new female stars of the show - elegant, engaging and empathetic."
Despite reports that King Charles is hoping to “streamline” the number of working royals, Prince Edward and “empathetic” Duchess Sophie remain trusted senior royals. Their ability to excel at high-profile solo events, as proved in recent weeks, showcases how important they are to the monarchy and to King Charles.
