Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte watch Trooping the Colour 2023.Photo:Antony Jones/Getty
Antony Jones/Getty
Princess Charlottecan count on her great-auntSophie, Duchess of Edinburghas she learns the royal ropes!
Members of the royal family came together atTrooping the Colouron Saturday to celebrateKing Charles’official birthday. After the royal cavalcade reached Horse Guards Parade for the presentation of regimental flags, Princess Charlotte and her brothers —Prince GeorgeandPrince Louis— were separated from momKate Middleton, who took her place alongsidePrince Williamand the other royal colonels on the parade grounds. Trooping the Colour was extra special for the Prince and Princess of Wales this year as their first as honorary colonels of two units; William serves as Colonel of the Welsh Guards, while Kate is Colonel of the Irish Guards.
Meanwhile, Sophie, 58, stood with 8-year-old Charlotte and 5-year-old Louis to watch the military processions from a window of a building overlooking the action. Sophie and Princess Charlotte were seen chatting and pointing out elements of the event.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte watch Trooping the Colour 2023.Antony Jones/Getty
The Duchess of Edinburgh was the perfect person to guide the young royals during their second time at Horse Guards Parade for Trooping the Colour. George, 9, Charlotte and Louis were treated to theunique viewfor the first time last year following theircarriage ride debut!
Sophie is married to King Charles’ brotherPrince Edward, making her a great-aunt to the Wales kids. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh share two teenage children —Lady Louise, 19, andJames, Earl of Wessex, 15 — who have joined their parents for the lateQueen Elizabeth’s birthday parade in the past.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Charlotte on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the May 6 coronation.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Samir Hussein/WireImage
Like their young cousins, Louise and James were raised in the royal spotlight, and their mom Sophie proved again to be an expert guide for the next generation on King Charles andQueen Camilla’s coronation day. After the May 6 crowning at Westminster Abbey, Sophie and Charlotte had another cute moment on the balcony of Buckingham Palace when the Duchess of Edinburgh leaned over to point something out to the little princess over her shoulder.
One funeral guest told PEOPLE that Sophie had remarkable resolve at the emotional service for her mother-in-law and seemed to be a rock for her relatives as they mourned the Queen.
Sophie puts an arm around Prince George at Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral in September 2022.Gareth Cattermole/Getty
“The Countess of Wessex was incredible. I saw her putting her arm around three or four people,” lawyer Pranav Bhanot told PEOPLE at the time. “It felt like she was really the glue keeping everyone quite strong today.”
“She really seemed to be the person keeping the family together,” he explained. “There were a few bishops who started crying when they saw the Queen and she was kind of comforting them, even though she is the direct family member.”
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Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince William attend Rhino Man documentary screening on June 13, 2023.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
Sophie recentlyattended the Royal Foundation’s screening ofRhino Manwith her nephewPrince William, where he sweetly introduced her as “my aunt.”
Kensington Palace said the Duchess of Edinburgh, who has a strong interest in wildlife protection, was “delighted to join the Prince of Wales at the event this evening to show her support for United for Wildlife.”
source: people.com
