Exclusive: King Charles has ‘secret weapon’ up his sleeve in plans for royal future and it’s not what people expect!

Since marrying into the monarchy more than 25 years ago, the Duchess of Edinburgh’s gradual rise up the royal ranks has seen her become one of the family’s most respected and admired figures today. Through a combination of steadfast support for husband Prince Edward, a commitment to good causes, plus a friendly and personable manner, Sophie has endeared herself to her fellow royals and the public alike.

As the Duchess gears up to mark her landmark 60th birthday in January, broadcaster and as OK reports, author Katie Nicholl says: “Now, more than ever, we’re seeing what a vital cog Sophie is in the royal machine. People say she is the ‘secret weapon’ within the monarchy, and I think that’s absolutely true, because she’s always there at pivotal moments to help steady the ship. She’s seen as a very safe pair of hands, which really became evident during the final years of the late Queen’s life as she relied more and more on her substitutes.”

Elizabeth reportedly saw Sophie as her “favourite daughter-in-law”, and their relationship was so strong that she became known as the monarch’s “rock” after the death of Prince Philip in April 2021. When the Queen herself died the following September, Sophie was distraught, with her and Edward saying the loss of the woman they both called “Mama” had left “an unimaginable void in all our lives”.

In March 2023, King Charles announced that Edward was to replace Philip as the Duke of Edinburgh, meaning Sophie’s former Countess of Wessex tag was upgraded for the grander title of Duchess. Such staunch backing from Charles served as further proof of Sophie’s growing reputation within the family. Katie adds, “She’s proved to be a real asset for the King during his illness, taking on ever more responsibility. He definitely values Sophie’s loyalty and all her hard work very highly.”

Having come from a non-aristocratic, middle-class background, Sophie Rhys-Jones previously worked in public relations, but gave up her successful London career after falling for her prince charming in the early 1990s. She and Edward married in June 1999 and went on to have two children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, who have largely remained out of the public eye.

As a loving mother first and foremost, Sophie has managed to avoid many of the dramas that have engulfed the royal family. “One of the secrets of Sophie’s success is that she is so understated and willing to be in the background without overshadowing anyone,” says Katie. “She just gets on with the job and doesn’t bring any trouble with her.”

Sophie’s down-to-earth nature has been increasingly evident in recent months, as shown during an appearance on CBeebies in October, when she read a bedtime story for youngsters to mark World Sight Day. The short tale, Specs For Rex , told the story of a lion who was afraid to wear glasses to school, and Sophie won universal praise for her gentle, relatable narration.

Although a public figure for nearly 30 years, little was known about Sophie in the beginning. “She was so quiet at first, and it took a very long time for her to be noticed,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward tells OK ! “Like the Princess of Wales, Sophie was waiting in the wings for years, but that’s probably how she thought she had to be as a woman joining the monarchy. She’s been plugging away behind the scenes, and has earned every ounce of respect she now has. It’s taken so long for people to realise what she does, and how much she takes on.”

In 2023, Sophie was said to have undertaken 219 official engagements, placing her among the top-five hardest-working royals, only a little way behind Princess Anne, the King, Prince Edward and Queen Camilla. Her efforts ramped up further through 2024, partly because the King and Princess of Wales only carried out minimal duties during their respective treatments for cancer.

In September 2024 alone, the royal Court Circular showed that Sophie conducted 37 engagements, more than double the 18 she undertook during the same month the previous year. “A lot of her work goes unrecognised,” says Katie. “Not all her engagements are widely covered and I don’t understand why, because in any of her public events I’ve been to, she’s always very engaging and really gets involved. She is very warm, very approachable and popular with people. Everyone seems to like her and that’s worked in her favour enormously.”

In October, Sophie showed her empathetic side as she became the first royal to make an official visit to Chad in Africa. At a hospital near the Sudanese border, she hugged survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, and was moved to tears as she spoke to the media afterwards. The same month, she and Edward took on a very different kind of duty as they headed to Malta, following in the late Queen and Prince Philip’s footsteps.

During their four-day trip, they became the first royals since 1951 to return to Villa Guardamangia, where Elizabeth and Philip lived as newlyweds. Following a tour of the property, Sophie and Edward even recreated an old black and white photo of the young lovebirds on the villa’s rooftop. Marking the 60th anniversary of Malta’s independence, their visit also included a wreath-laying ceremony to honour lives lost in the Second World War, and a reception at the residence of the British High Commissioner.

When asked about her and Edward’s work ethic during a 2021 newspaper interview, Sophie said coyly, “We’ve plodded along doing what we’re doing, hopefully doing it well.” But when it was suggested that the couple had been doing more since the Sussexes and Prince Andrew stopped their royal duties, she joked, “What did people think we were doing beforehand?”

Among other high-profile engagements in recent months, Sophie travelled solo to Tanzania in September, where she delivered a message from the King, and back in the summer she attended the Paralympics in Paris, alongside Edward. In April, she also became the first royal to visit Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia, while closer to home she has shown a more informal side, cuddling a chicken called Stumpy at an animal sanctuary and high-fiving children at Hale Community and Youth Centre in Surrey.

As patron of more than 70 organisations and charities, Sophie campaigns for causes that support young people, women’s rights and the disabled, and has shown a willingness to tackle stigmas around sensitive issues like menopause and menstruation. “It’s very refreshing, and I think it largely comes from the fact that she wasn’t born royal and came from a normal family,” adds Katie.