Much-loved royal Duchess Sophie fails to conceal her disdain for Prince Harry and Meghan during key event … Click the Image to Read the Full News

Sophie, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

 

When Duchess Sophie first married Prince Edward in 1999 they initially found themselves in a struggle similar to the one faced by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

 

Sophie, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

At the time Edward and Sophie were trying to juggle their careers with ‘part-time’ royal duties, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex requesting a similar arrangement when they told Queen Elizabeth in 2020 that they wanted to take a step back.

At the time of their wedding Edward was working as a film producer, while Sophie had had a career for many years as a publicist, however they committed to full-time royal roles in 2002.

But Harry and Meghan were denied the opportunity to go part-time, with royal expert Rachel Burchfield explaining that twenty years on the “game has clearly changed”.

Speaking on Podcast Royal she said: “Before the Harry and Meghan decision was made, nearly twenty years prior, Edward and Sophie were pretty much ‘half in, half out’ royals before they became full-time working royals.

“I think they were part-time royals for the first three years of their marriage, but obviously, the game has clearly changed.”

Ms Burchfield clarified: “I don’t think the half in, half out method is going to work for anyone, that’s Beatrice, that’s Eugenie, anyone, so, Queen Elizabeth, in 2020, clearly set a precedent when she decided that Harry and Meghan couldn’t be part-time royals.”

The expert added that it was not that the Edinburghs received special treatment, as their situation was different to the Sussexes and involved them deciding to do more for the royals rather than less.

She continued that Harry and Meghan had requested to do fewer royal engagements while still retaining benefits such as security, which the late Queen would not allow.