Kate Middleton might be one of the most beloved royals, but could someone be taking her place? It sounds as if Sophie Wessex may have a leg up on Kate in a way that she may not be able to compete with, and that could end up giving her an even higher spot in the Queen's heart … even though Kate's set to become the Queen Consort when Prince William assumes the throne someday.
Reportedly, Sophie is Queen Elizabeth's current favorite.
According to what a source told Express, Sophie being married for so long without any divorces in her past has endeared her to the Queen … and Kate, who's only been married since 2011, can't compete with that because she's so much younger.
"She is trusted and relied on by the Queen in a way I couldn't say applied to the Duchess of Cambridge or the Duchess of Cornwall," the source said. "She is like another daughter to Her Majesty, they are that close."
Elizabeth is impressed with Sophie's behavior as a mother and wife.
Especially since, as Prince Edward's mother, Elizabeth knows that he can be a "tricky creature" to deal with, but Sophie's managed to hang in there all these years.
"Not only has Sophie flourished as a dedicated, albeit still relatively junior member of the Royal family, she has brought up two teenagers who are well-balanced, sporty, amusing and delightful," the insider continued.
Supposedly, Elizabeth also finds Sophie's presence "soothing."
The source added that if Sophie happens to be staying with her at Sandringham or Balmoral, she'll always ask her if she wants a ride to church on Sunday morning, and it's a huge honor to arrive with the Queen.
She may be her mother-in-law, but this is Queen Elizabeth we're talking about. And if we ever see Sophie sitting in the back seat with the Queen, that's a sign that they're definitely BFFs.
Kate doesn't seem to be the kind to worry about competition, though.
And from other reports we've heard, Kate and Sophie are actually close friends, and Sophie's actually been like a mother figure to Kate since she first joined the royal family when she married William. Queen Elizabeth may play favorites, but keeping the peace seems far too important for Kate to get wrapped up in trying to be "the best" royal in her eyes.
We definitely wouldn't be surprised to see more of Sophie in the coming months.
Since Meghan and Harry's exit, Sophie has really stepped up her role in the royal family, and it appears we've been seeing her make more and more royal engagements than ever over the last several months.
This may be the new normal for her, so maybe we'll see her around as a permanent fixture? No matter what position she ends up falling into, we know the Queen must at least appreciate her for that.
