Duchess of Edinburgh is ‘front and centre’ of The Royal Family

The Duchess of Edinburgh enjoyed a rare joint engagement with the Prince of Wales last night – and experts have now said it’s a clear sign of just how important Sophie has become to The Royal Family.

The mother-of-two, 58, dressed in a £1,350 purple printed midi dress by Erdem, attended the screening of Rhino Man at the newly renovated Battersea Power Station in south-west London, alongside Prince William, 40.

It’s a rare sight to see Prince Edward’s wife on an outing with only the heir to the British throne – but royal experts have said this is a clear indication of her new and improved status within The Firm.

Speaking to FEMAIL, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said the pair’s engagement together was ‘unusual, but it highlighted Sophie’s role as one of the hardest working members of The Royal Family.’

‘William and Catherine have a unique profile as the world’s most glamorous royal couple with enormous soft power reach. Sophie has clearly established herself as their indispensable support,’ said the expert. 

He added that the duchess’ ‘considerable charm’ and similar style to Princess Anne – with both sharing a ‘low-key approach’ – has made her a great addition to The Firm. 

The royal expert continued: ‘There is periodic interest in what she wears, but she and her husband Edward are not in the eye of the media storm. That is the way they prefer it.’

However they are pivotal to the monarchy’s charitable role, which is one of its main functions. Yesterday’s event put this firmly in the spotlight. 

‘Her style is similar to Princess Anne, as she prefers a low-key approach to her duties. They have included trips to areas of conflict such as South Sudan and Sierra Leone.’ 

Royal author Phil Dampier, meanwhile, explained: ‘Sophie is becoming a big star in The Royal Family and boy do they need her!

‘With Harry and Meghan and Prince Andrew off the scene the King has got a slimmed down monarchy, but maybe it’s slimmed down too much.

‘He and the Queen, and Princess Anne are in their seventies and others like the Duke of Kent are approaching retirement.

‘Sophie is a much bigger star than her husband Edward. She has a natural warmth and is good on walkabouts. She has been quietly getting on with the job, rather like Anne, and made several visits abroad.’ 

Pictured, Sophie with King Charles, then Prince of Wales, on June 14, 2022

Sophie, Kate and Queen Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, attend the annual Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on June 18, 2011

Princess Anne and Sophie look on as Queen Elizabeth II cuts a Women’s Institute Celebrating 100 Years cake at the Centenary Annual Meeting of The National Federation Of Women’s Institute at the Royal Albert Hall on June 4, 2015 in London

‘She has matured greatly and seeing her by William’s side is an indication of her new status,’ the author concluded.

Earlier this week, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK magazine how Sophie – who’s previously been dubbed The Firm’s ‘secret weapon’ by royal author Victoria Murphy – has the ‘common touch’ thanks to her her ‘normal life’ before marrying into The Royal Family.

‘It is so much more evident now that Sophie is a key member of the list of working royals,’ Jennie said. ‘I think people have really taken her into their hearts, especially after she showed her obvious grief at losing Prince Philip and the Queen.’ 

The former PR girl, who’s been married to Prince Edward for 24 years, was said to be a firm favourite of Queen Elizabeth’s, who reportedly viewed her as The Royal Family’s safest pair of hands.  

Jennie added: ‘Sophie is absolutely one of the new female stars of the show – elegant, engaging and empathetic’. 

The senior royal is the patron of over 70 charities and organisations, including Childline, and was recently spotted out and about putting her best foot forward at the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice in London. 

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince William attend a private screening of Rhino Man hosted by United For Wildlife

The new ‘Fab Four’ seen together on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the Coronation. The Duchess and Duke of Edinburgh stand alongside the Princess and Prince of Wales

It was over the Coronation weekend that the Waleses and Edinburghs emerged as key partners in the revamped ‘Firm’. They are pictured hosting a garden party as part of the celebrations

On Tuesday evening, the Duchess was pictured beaming at the Prince of Wales as they arrived at their joint engagement in a black 4×4.

Sophie paired her stylish sleeveless frock with a dark purple clutch bag and nude strappy sandals.

As they headed inside the shopping centre, which has its own cinema, the Duchess was seen carrying a matching purple shawl – so she was prepared for potentially cooler temperatures later.

The royal – who is married to Prince William’s uncle Edward – styled her blonde hair in loose waves and wore a pair of dangly jewelled earrings, which brought out the colours in her dress. 

Meanwhile, Prince William, 40, was dapper in a navy suit, smart black shoes and a dotted tie.

The royals watched the documentary Rhino Man – which has been produced by the charity Global Conservation Corps.

The poignant documentary shines a light on field rangers in South Africa who are risking their lives on a daily basis to protect rhinos from being poached to extinction. 

Since becoming the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in March, Prince Edward, 59, and his wife Sophie have started appearing with the Prince and Princess of Wales more often.

Sophie, Charles and Camilla watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 in London, England

At King Charles’ coronation, the couple were seated in the front row of Westminster Abbey – next to Kate, William, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

And just two days later, the same quartet took the lead at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party, which praised volunteers up and down the country. 

Mother-of-three Kate and Sophie even matched their outfits that day in blue, long-hemmed dresses. 

Since marrying into the royal family, Sophie, like Kate, has long since cemented her place at the centre of the monarchy – having been loved by both the late Queen and Prince Philip.

After losing her husband, the Queen and Sophie would walk their dogs together in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Queen would often invite her to take Philip’s place alongside her in the back of the car.

Not only was Sophie a pillar of support to the Queen, but also Kate during the early stages of her relationship with William as she began her journey as a royal.

Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Sir Timothy Laurence and Sophie laugh as they attend the Rugby Sevens during the 2022 Commonwealth Games at the Coventry Stadium on July 29, 2022

Queen Elizabeth ll, Prince Philip and Sophie enjoy the show during a children’s party at London’s Buckingham Palace on June 25, 2006

That bond was clear for all to see last month, when the Princess of Wales, 41, and the 58-year-old Duchess of Edinburgh were pictured together at the Buckingham Palace garden party thrown to celebrate the work of the nation’s volunteers in the wake of the Coronation.

Stepping out in carefully coordinating blue lace outfits, the smiling duo appeared relaxed and at ease as they mingled with guests – just as they had two days earlier when standing side-by-side in their ceremonial wear alongside the rest of The Royal Family on the palace balcony.

On several occasions in recent years the couple have both mirrored not only each other’s sartorial choices but also their body language at events ranging from state occasions to more informal appearances at Wimbledon or Royal Ascot.