Queen Elizabeth Found the Presence of Her "True Favorite" Royal Family Member Incredibly "Soothing"

Prince Edward's wife, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, was recently hailed as the "unsung hero of Christmas." After reportedly supporting her "royal sister" Kate Middleton throughout cancer treatment, it was also reported that Sophie was a "peacemaker" between Prince Harry and Prince William. Now, another report is highlighting just how much the late Queen Elizabeth II loved Duchess Sophie.

Royal expert and biographer Ingrid Seward spoke to OK! magazine about the late Queen's special relationship with Duchess Sophie. "With the exception of her daughter Anne, the Queen was closer to Sophie than any of the other royal women," Seward told the outlet. "It really was a genuine closeness, and Elizabeth was always Sophie's biggest confidante."

As for why Sophie was deemed so special by the late monarch, Seward told the publication, "The Queen found her very down to earth, because she refused to have expensive security and things like that, and she loved her lack of airs and graces. I think she saw Sophie as a bit of a surrogate daughter, too."

Royal expert Katie Nicholl also opened up about Duchess Sophie's connection to the late Queen, saying (via OK!), "Sophie had a wonderful relationship with the Queen, and she never saw it as a chore." Nicholl continued, "She was very willing to step up and provide support when needed, and she did it with quiet enthusiasm, and always with a cheerful smile. I think in return, Elizabeth learned not just to rely on Sophie, but to trust her implicitly."

Duchess Sophie also had a lot in common with her mother-in-law, according to Seward. "They had a real love of military history in common," the expert explained. "Sophie apparently once went to the First World War battlefields and museums of northern France, which obviously the Queen wasn't able to do. So Sophie rang her from there to tell her about it."

Per OK!, courtiers previously shared that it was Duchess Sophie who managed to convince Queen Elizabeth to watch The Crown. The Queen's decision to watch the Netflix hit, and point out discrepancies, was evidence of the implicit trust she had in her daughter-in-law.

"I think she saw in Sophie a very sensible young woman, and she was quick to welcome her into the inner circle," Nicholl explained. "Sophie knew her place in the hierarchy of The Firm, and never caused any problems. Even in the early days, when there was a bit of drama surrounding her, the Queen stood by her."