Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Style at Large
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Winter Shoe Trends
    • Slick-Backed Buns
    • Kathy Hochul and Adrienne Adams
    • Holiday Candles
    • Statement Red Socks
    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Duchess Sophie Hailed as "Unsung Hero of Christmas" After "Stepping Up" to Help Kate Middleton

    The Duchess of Edinburgh has tried to take the "pressure off" Princess Kate throughout 2024.

    Amy Mackelden's avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 20 December 2024 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Kate Middleton and Duchess Sophie both wear black outfits for Remembrance Day with red poppies to honor fallen soldiers
    (Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    There's a reason that Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh is often referred to as Kate Middleton's "royal sister." Prince Edward's wife has shown her strength throughout 2024, during which Princess Kate took a step back from her public facing role within the Royal Family. Now, a new report has explored how Duchess Sophie worked to take the "pressure off" the Princess of Wales during a difficult year.

    In a new article, the Daily Mail called Duchess Sophie the "unsung hero of Christmas," alluding to her seemingly unending support of Kate Middleton. "Whether singing carols or making mince pies, Sophie hasn't shied away from stepping up while Princess Kate has been making a gradual return to duties following treatment for cancer," the outlet reported.

    Sophie's extremely busy 2024 schedule included attending the Qatari state banquet at Buckingham Palace earlier this month. Princess Kate skipped the banquet in favor of a small daytime gathering.

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    Duchess Sophie wears a bright pink dress and matching hat and Kate Middleton wear a blue jacket with matching hat

    Duchess Sophie worked to take the "pressure off" the Princess of Wales during a difficult year.

    (Image credit: Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

    This isn't the first time Duchess Sophie's "sisterly" support of Princess Kate has been highlighted. Last month, royal author Ingrid Seward told Hello!, "They have a sisterly bond and Sophie is like the older sister Kate never had."

    Seward also pointed out that neither Kate nor Sophie came from an aristocratic background, giving them a unique bond within the Royal Family. "They both had really long romances with their husbands-to-be and Sophie lived at the Palace," Seward told the outlet. "By the time they got married, they had more knowledge than the royal brides before them about what they were getting into."

    You may like
    • The Royal Family stands on the Buckingham Palace balcony Princess Kate's Ally Is Labeled "Most Well-Behaved Royal"
    • Duchess Sophie wearing a cream dress and smiling Duchess Sophie Announces Her New Royal Role With a Special Portrait
    • British Royal Family stand on the Buckingham Palace balcony, which is lined with celebratory red decorative fabric One Royal Relative Is a "Huge Asset" to King Charles

    "They have a huge amount in common having probably formed a bond very much at the beginning," Seward continued. "Sophie was there for Kate in an unofficial capacity because she had the same experience of being a commoner marrying into the family."

    Duchess Sophie wearing a green dress and waving while riding in a carriage with Kate Middleton wearing a white dress and Prince Edward and Prince William in top hats and tails

    "Sophie hasn't shied away from stepping up while Princess Kate has been making a gradual return."

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Unsurprisingly, Duchess Sophie has already been described as the "Royal Family's secret weapon." Her continued support of Princess Kate has demonstrated what an asset she is to the Royal Family, which is likely to continue for years to come.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Explore More
    Princess Catherine Duchess Sophie
    Amy Mackelden
    Amy Mackelden
    Social Links Navigation
    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

    Read more
    The Royal Family stands on the Buckingham Palace balcony
    Royals Princess Kate's Ally Is Labeled "Most Well-Behaved Royal"
    By Amy Mackelden
    Prince William putting his hand on Princess Kate's back
    Royals Prince William and Princess Kate Lean on One "Solid" Family Member
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Princess Diana and Prince Charles posing in front of the river on their honeymoon
    Royals Duchess Sophie Puts a 2026 Spin on Princess Diana's Balmoral Honeymoon Outfit
    By Kristin Contino
    Princess Anne laughing and holding a gold trophy
    Royals King Charles’s Former Butler Says This Royal Is the “Next Generation’s Princess Anne”
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Latest in Royals
    Princess Diana wears a blue floral dress and has short blonde hair and is smirking
    Royals Princess Diana Made a Risqué Quip to Royal Photographer
    Princess Kate and Prince William Might Have Been "Forced to Cancel" Their Annual Vacation to One Luxury Destination, Says Royal Source
    Royals Princess Kate and Prince William "Forced to Cancel" Vacation
     
     
    King Charles has white gray hair and looks to the sky with a wrinkled face while wearing a suit
    Royals King Charles's "True Colors" Were on Full Display
    The Royal Family stands on the Buckingham Palace balcony
    Royals Princess Kate's Ally Is Labeled "Most Well-Behaved Royal"
     
     
    Latest in News
    Princess Diana wears a blue floral dress and has short blonde hair and is smirking
    Royals Princess Diana Made a Risqué Quip to Royal Photographer
    Princess Kate and Prince William Might Have Been "Forced to Cancel" Their Annual Vacation to One Luxury Destination, Says Royal Source
    Royals Princess Kate and Prince William "Forced to Cancel" Vacation
     
     
    Kendall Jenner wears a neon pink mini dress and a blonde bob wig for Halloween, inspired by the movie 'Paris, Texas'
    Celebrity Style Kendall Jenner Goes Full Indie Darling for Halloween
    King Charles has white gray hair and looks to the sky with a wrinkled face while wearing a suit
    Royals King Charles's "True Colors" Were on Full Display
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.