bitchy | Countess Sophie really, really expects to become the Duchess of Edinburgh now

Whenever I’ve seen the Countess of Wessex in the past week, she looks like ten kinds of hell. Truly, I’m not judging – it’s been said that especially after Sophie’s mother passed, Sophie looked to Queen Elizabeth II as a surrogate mother, and QEII looked to Sophie as a second daughter. They were very close, and Sophie continuously reminded royal reporters of their closeness. Sophie genuinely looks like she’s going through it now that QEII has passed away. Now, is Sophie also calling up royal reporters to get them to remind everyone that she needs to be “elevated” now that Charles is in charge? Yes. She is.

Sophie actually did the same thing after Prince Philip died and it came back to bite her in the ass. Edward and Sophie was supposed to become the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh when Philip passed away. The Wessexes went on a full PR blitz following Philip’s passing, encouraging everyone to write about how they would soon have those titles. They didn’t count on the DoE title reverting back to Charles, and Charles deciding to hold onto the title indefinitely. Charles shut it down and he also told them both to stop with the obvious PR campaign. Well, guess who’s back on her bullsh-t.

It may be considered a final, poignant nod to the daughter-in-law who called her “Mama”. Queen Elizabeth II’s title of the Duchess of Edinburgh will pass to the Countess of Wessex if, as expected, Prince Edward succeeds his father as the Duke of Edinburgh.

Such a move would elevate the status of the Countess at a time when her role becomes notably more significant – one of just a handful of working royals in the new, slimmed-down monarchy.
The decision rests in the hands of the King, who has held the title ever since his father’s death.
However, the late Prince Philip had made his wishes clear: when the time comes, his youngest son should be given the title. Prince Charles was said to agree and the deal was all but rubber-stamped. Last year, following the Duke’s death, speculation swirled that Charles had had a change of heart.

One source told the Sunday Times: “The Prince is the Duke of Edinburgh as it stands, and it is up to him what happens to the title. It will not go to Edward.”

Experts believe it likely that the title will eventually be passed to the Earl, who has already taken on the responsibilities associated with his father’s hugely successful Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. To do so, a new dukedom of Edinburgh would have to be created by letters patent but such a move is not unprecedented. The gesture would provide a fitting link between the late Queen and her daughter-in-law.

[From The Telegraph]

There’s more in that piece about how Sophie was a “second daughter” to the Queen and how of course the Queen would have wanted Sophie to become a duchess and “By taking on the Duchess of Edinburgh title, Sophie will raise her profile further. The Queen now gone, she is rapidly becoming an integral part of the future Firm.” In case King Charles III needed the point underlined yet again, the Times of London also had a piece with much of the same energy: Sophie needs a bigger role, Sophie needs to be Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie is important. We’ll see if it works this time, girl. The last time, Charles shut it down thoroughly. I suspect he will again, but who knows.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.