Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh star power is on the rise. A commentator says the 58-year-old is among the British royal family’s “new female stars.” The reasons behind it stem from Sophie’s past and her public displays of emotion. 

Royals seemingly took Sophie ‘into their hearts’ after the deaths of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II 

The royal family undoubtedly changed following the deaths of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II in 2021 and 2022. Along with King Charles III taking the throne came a reshuffling of royals, including Sophie. 

She, and her husband, Prince Edward, were named the Duchess and Duke of Edinburgh, taking over the title from Philip. They’ve also carried out more official engagements, what with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Prince Andrew no longer being working royals. 

Beyond a title change and her schedule, the queen and Philip’s deaths endeared Sophie to her fellow royals, Jennie Bond, a former BBC royal correspondent, told OK! Magazine. Royals, she said, seem to have “really taken her into their hearts” following Sophie’s “obvious grief” when Philip and the queen died. 

Sophie, who was known to be close to Queen Elizabeth, left Balmoral Castle, the queen’s Scottish summer retreat, looking tearful. Previously, Sophie cried while being interviewed for a documentary on Philip. 

Sophie’s closeness with other royals was “so much more than a bond” and “looked like a deep affection for her in-laws.” 

Sophie’s ‘common touch’ sets her apart in the royal family

So what’s behind Sophie’s star status? According to Bond, the mother of two’s “common touch” plays a role.  “She has a common touch — perhaps because she lived a normal life before marrying Prince Edward,” Bond said. 

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Sophie ran her own public relations company prior to joining the royal family in June 1999.

“She connects with the people she meets and looks as if she really wants to chat,” Bond said, calling Sophie “absolutely one of the new female stars of the show – elegant, engaging and empathetic.”

Sophie’s part of the royal family’s ‘genuine ‘fab four’’ along with Prince Edward, Kate Middleton, and Prince William

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle once had the “Fab Four” nickname. However, body language expert Judi James, the royal family’s Fab Four is more likely to be Sophie, Edward, and the Prince and Princess of Wales.

“If there is a genuine ‘Fab Four’ in the royal firm, it is probably these four,” James said (via Express). Sophie, Edward, William, and Kate are “the chosen stars of the slimmed-down Firm, along with Anne.”

Furthermore, “they always seem to provide the kind of body language signals together that suggest low drama, authentic affection, and actual happiness.”

As of late, Sophie, William, Kate, and Edward have attended many royal events together, from Trooping the Colour and the Order of the Garter service to the Royal Ascot.