Duchess Sophie No Longer Has to Curtsy to Meghan Markle — and She Has Prince Edward to Thank
Sophie was promoted from Countess of Wessex to Duchess of Edinburgh, placing her above Meghan Markle in the royal pecking order.
Duchess Sophie is reportedly breathing a sigh of relief after a strict royal rule changed following her promotion in March 2023. On Prince Edward’s 59th birthday, it was announced that King Charles had conferred on him the Dukedom of Edinburgh, with Sophie becoming the Duchess of Edinburgh. Previously, she had held the title of Countess of Wessex for over 24 years, since June 1999. Commenting on the rule change, a friend of Sophie claimed that the Duchess is allegedly 'relieved' she no longer has to curtsy to Meghan Markle.
As per royal protocol, after receiving her new title, Sophie now ranks higher than Markle in the royal pecking order. As reported by Hello! magazine, the friend explained, "Sophie is relieved. She no longer has to curtsy to someone in the family who has not only left royal duties but has spent the past three years criticizing the institution that Sophie works so hard to support." Before her promotion, Markle ranked higher as the Duchess of Sussex after her marriage to Prince Harry, which had Sophie curtsying to her at all royal gatherings.
Sophie’s relief at the royal rule change seems understandable, especially since she reportedly never warmed up to Markle during her time in the royal fold. While neither Harry nor Markle has publicly criticized Edward or Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh has subtly taken her shots at the couple. According to the Daily Mail, when asked about 'stepping in' for Harry and Markle after they stepped back from royal duties in 2020, Sophie quipped, "What did people think we were doing beforehand?" In a separate interview with The Telegraph, when questioned about the Sussexes’ bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, the Duchess responded gracefully, "I just hope they will be happy." Edward, on the other hand, has said that he 'stayed out of it.' "We wish them the very best of luck. It's a really hard decision."
This strained relationship between the two royal women goes back to Markle having once allegedly snubbed Sophie’s offer to help navigate the rules and traditions of the royal family. As per The Mirror, royal author Gyles Brandreth wrote in his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, that the late Queen Elizabeth once advised Markle to seek Sophie’s guidance before her marriage to Harry. He penned, "'Sophie can help show you the ropes,' said the Queen. But, Meghan made it clear that she did not feel she needed Sophie's help." Markle allegedly replied, "'I've got Harry.'" Brandreth claimed that Markle's cutting response left the Queen shocked.
As for curtsying rules in the royal family, etiquette expert Myka Meirs told People magazine that "a Royal Highness does not curtsy to another Royal Highness." She explained, "While the newly titled Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will still have to curtsy to His Majesty King Charles and Her Majesty The Queen Consort, they will not have to curtsy to any of the blood Princes or Princesses or those who have married one."
