Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, could teach Prince Harry and Meghan Markle how to repair their image if they were willing to listen.
The Queen Already Knew Harry And Meghan As Part-Time Royals Wouldn’t Work
When Harry and Meghan proposed a half-in, half-out arrangement to the late Queen. She quickly informed the couple that this would not happen. This proposal was after their infamous Megxit in January 2020,
She had the Sussexes’ number from the time they stepped down as working royals until the day she passed away. She knew the self-serving, opportunistic couple would likely try to cash in on commercial deals and use their royal titles.
While Her Majesty loved her grandson dearly, she wasn’t about to make any compromises. The Queen had already been through this song and dance with her youngest son, Prince Edward, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
When Edward and Sophie were married in June 1999, Sophie insisted she was not about to give up her career just because she married into the royal family.
She worked at her own PR firm and he in television production, which was highly unusual for a royal. However, their personal aspirations blew up in their faces after a series of highly publicized scandals.
A Reporter Tricked Sophie Into Making Questionable Comments
Everything was okay with Edward and Sophie. Until a reporter, who was a prospective client, spoke with Sophie. She made some questionable remarks about the royal family.
Unbeknownst to Sophie, her comments were recorded. She spilled some tea on Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowls and their relationship and went as far as to say there was no way they would get married as long as the Queen Mother was still alive.
Sophie also referred to the Queen Mother as “old lady” and the Queen as “the old dear,” which made people wonder how she felt about the royal family.
She also admitted using her royal status to cash in, which was super cringey. Royal expert Richard Eden claimed,
“It was an early prelude to our problems with Harry and Meghan.”
He added,
“They thought they could combine private work with public duties, but it became clear it was too difficult; there were too many problems associated with that.”
The stories of Sophie and Edward and Harry and Meghan are eerily similar. Edward and Harry were third in line to the throne at birth.
Edward’s TV Show Was A Massive Flop
Edward created a TV program in 1987 that was a flop, which led to negative press. The media were open about their dislike of “It’s A Royal Knockout.”
Edward walked out of a press conference when reporters criticized the show. The Queen Mother, at the time, was horrified and humiliated.
She said she’d spent years building up and preserving the monarchy’s reputation, only to have it ruined by Edward’s TV show.
The Daily Mail’s most popular columnist, Lynda Lee-Potter, called Edward “Prince Brat” due to his rude manners.
These days, Edward and Sophie are often thought of as “the Harry and Meghan of their day” for attempting to continue their personal careers and business interests outside the royal family. It was an experiment that more than likely won’t be repeated.
The couple eventually realized they couldn’t have their cake and eat it, too, so they closed their commercial ventures and became full-time working royals.
Edward And Sophie Are The Examples Harry And Meghan Should Follow
Edward and Sophie are now held in high regard. Sophie is often called the “secret weapon” of the royal family because of her hard work, easygoing personality, and willingness to undertake royal engagements in foreign countries that no other royal would dare travel.
For instance, since the Russian invasion, Sophie is the first British royal to visit Ukraine. She met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife, Olena Zelenska.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are the ones to ask if an engagement has an unmet requirement for a pair of hard-working royals.
Sophie came full circle when Meghan first came into the royal family. The Queen suggested to Meghan that Sophie mentor her and teach her how to be an appropriate and successful wife to a spare, but Meghan responded that she had Harry and didn’t need help.
Ironically, the woman who had caused such a headache for the monarchy was now someone the Queen thought of as a good example for a new member of the family to follow.
It’s clear that when Harry and Meghan asked to be part-time royals, the Queen knew from experience why it wouldn’t work.
Edward and Sophie have set the bar pretty high. They went from causing scandals to being of significant and invaluable help to the monarchy.
They fulfill a need in the monarchy that would otherwise be empty. Edward and Sophie also never burned any bridges with the royal family. Harry and Meghan could benefit from learning from them.
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