The Duchess of Edinburgh had a frank response when she was asked about 'stepping in' for Meghan Markle following the Sussexes' shock exit from the royal family. Prince Edward's wife has been a member of The Firm for almost 26 years. Given her low-key, down-to-earth approach, she has, at times, received less column-inches than other members. But that belies her devotion. The Duchess had a telling response when asked if she and Edward would be stepping up their duties to fill the void left by Harry and Meghan in 2020. "What did people think we were doing beforehand?" Sophie is reported to have said. Her response was first revealed by royal expert Katie Nicholl in her 2022 book, The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown.

"Sophie is blazing a more 'ordinary' and 'normal' trail for the royal family. If the price is less attention (although the organisations she is involved with value her hugely) it is a price worth paying," Nicholl wrote. "Just occasionally, Sophie appears to be a little wistful. When asked if she and Edward would be stepping up as Harry, Meghan and Andrew stepped down from their official duties, she replied: "What did people think we were doing beforehand?'".

Sophie and Edward married on 19 June 1999 in St George's Chapel and went on to welcome two children together, Lady Louise, and her younger brother, James Earl of Wessex. It's not the only time that Sophie addressed Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family. Following the Sussexes' explosive tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Sophie and Edward made a cheeky remark about the furore. When asked about the much-discussed interview by The Telegraph , the Prince simply said, "Oprah, who?" while Sophie added with a laugh, "What interview?".

It was previously reported that Meghan had refused Sophie's help in adjusting to life in the Royal Family. Meghan quit her acting career upon marrying Harry in 2018 and pledged to "hit the ground running" on becoming a working royal. But author and friend of the royals, Gyles Brandreth, wrote in his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait: "The Queen (who, of course, had seen it all before) understood that Harry's girl might find adjusting to Royal life 'challenging to begin with' (as she put it). 'It is very jolty, but you soon get used to it'. That was Her Majesty's experience going back many years.

"To help Meghan, the Queen suggested that her daughter-in-law, Sophie Wessex, would be an ideal mentor. 'Sophie can help show you the ropes,' said the Queen. "Meghan made it clear that she did not feel she needed Sophie's help. She had Harry.". Sophie, who grew up in a middle-class family and founded a PR firm before joining the Royal Family, was initially compared with Meghan, since they both underwent a huge transition upon joining The Firm. And in a rare interview with The Sunday Times, Sophie reflected on her experience. "Remember I’d had five years to adjust [to royal life]. And for our six-month engagement, I was even staying at Buckingham Palace," she said. "Not that you necessarily know how it will pan out.".