Sophie Wessex has been ‘singled out’ by the palace to help ‘ease the burden’ of Megxit

The Queen’s ‘long-term favourite’ Sophie Wessex has been ‘singled out’ by Buckingham Palace to ‘ease the burden’ of Megxit, a source has claimed. 

Countess of Wessex, 55, is set to take on more royal responsibility and represent the Queen, 93, at more engagements after Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle’s, 38, decision to step back from the royal family, insiders claim.

A royal source has revealed how the ‘very popular’ Countess has been chosen by Buckingham Palace to step into the spotlight in the coming months.

The source told The Sun: ‘Sophie’s a long-term favourite of the Queen and has been singled out as a person the Palace would like to help ease the burden.’

Sophie Wessex, 55, will take on more royal responsibility after being ‘singled out’ by Buckingham Palace to help ‘ease the burden’ of Megxit, a source has revealed 

Sophie, who is married to the Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward, 55, has a  particularly close relationship with her mother-in-law and already represents the Crown both at home and overseas.

As well as having a close relationship with the Queen, the source went on to explain that Sophie is ‘very popular’ with other senior royals including Prince Charles, 71, and the Duchess of Cornwall, 72. 

It is believed Sophie is seen by the Queen as the Royal Family’s safest pair of hands, because her marriage to Prince Edward has lasted, while Charles, Anne and Andrew have all been divorced.  

Last week, Sophie and Prince Edward spent her birthday serving the Queen alongside Prince William, 37, and Kate Middleton, 38, at a reception for the UK-Africa investment summit at Buckingham Palace. 

The Countess of Wessex is particularly close to the Queen, with the source calling her ‘a long-term favourite’ (pictured together in October 2019) 

She also visited Sierra Leone last week for a packed two-day solo trip – becoming the first royal to visit the continent since Prince Harry and Meghan’s African tour in October. 

Speaking to FEMAIL last week, veteran royal reporter Phil Dampier, said Sophie had the ‘potential to be a royal superstar’.

Predicting the Countess would take on more responsibility, he explained: ‘I think she wants to do more and would happily step up to the plate and take over more duties if asked.’

It comes following months of seismic change for the Royal Family that saw Prince Andrew step back from public duties in the wake of his car crash Jeffrey Epstein TV interview, and the Sussexes’ announcement that they would step back as senior royals.

Sophie’s responsibilities are set to increase after Prince Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from the royal family 

On Saturday Buckingham Palace announced that from the spring Harry and Meghan will stop using their HRH titles and withdraw from royal duties, including official military appointments.

However the couple will be allowed to maintain their private patronages and associations.

Prince Harry was at today’s UK-Africa Investment Summit in London for a number of private meetings with heads of state.

It is thought he will soon fly out to join Meghan and one-year-old son Archie in Canada, where they have been living in a multi-million pound Vancouver Island bolthole since before Christmas.