Queen Elizabeth II spent decades carefully guarding her private thoughts, rarely revealing favorites within her complicated family.
But according to royal experts, one member of The Firm quietly earned a place closer to the late monarch’s heart than almost anyone else.
The surprise favorite wasn’t a future king or queen or even one of the sovereign’s blood relatives. It was Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, the wife of Prince Edward, the late monarch’s youngest son.
Winning over the queen
Sophie Rhys-Jones joined the royal family when she married Prince Edward on June 19, 1999, at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. By: MEGA
After losing her own mother when she was 40, Sophie developed a uniquely close relationship with the queen — who died in 2022 at 96 — that lasted for decades.
“With the exception of her daughter, [Princess] Anne, the queen was closer to Sophie than any of the other royal women,” biographer Ingrid Seward told OK! in 2025.
“It really was a genuine closeness, and Elizabeth was always Sophie’s biggest confidante. The queen found her very down to earth, because she refused to have expensive security and things like that, and she loved her lack of airs and graces. I think she saw Sophie as a bit of a surrogate daughter, too.”
Their connection was deeply personal. In an October 2019 speech, Sophie referred to the monarch as “Mama,” further highlighting how close they had become.
Relationship built on trust
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has spoken about the emotional significance of inheriting a title once held by her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II. Reflecting on becoming the Duchess of Edinburgh in 2023, she said it felt like “quite a big moment” and acknowledged there were “large shoes to fill.” By: Express Syndication / MEGA
Over the years, the queen increasingly relied on Sophie for support, according to royal writer and commentator Katie Nicholl.
“Sophie had a wonderful relationship with the queen, and she never saw it as a chore,” Nicholl told OK!. “She was very willing to step up and provide support when needed, and she did it with quiet enthusiasm, and always with a cheerful smile. I think in return, Elizabeth learned not just to rely on Sophie, but to trust her implicitly.”
Sophie was racked with grief following her mother-in-law’s death nearly four years ago. She was seen in tears while reading tributes left outside Scotland’s Balmoral Castle — where the monarch died — and again as she and Edward watched their children, James, Earl of Wessex, and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, stand vigil beside the queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall.
Shared interests and quiet moments
Prince Edward is the only child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip whose marriage has not ended in divorce. He and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, married in 1999. By: James Whatling / MEGA
Part of the pair’s connection stemmed from their shared interests.
According to OK!, they frequently watched old war films and documentaries together at Windsor Castle and spent time exploring the castle archives.
“They had a real love of military history in common,” Seward explained. “Sophie apparently once went to the First World War battlefields and museums of northern France, which obviously the queen wasn’t able to do. So Sophie rang her from there to tell her about it.”
The duchess was also reportedly responsible for introducing the queen to Netflix’s royal drama The Crown.
According to a courtier quoted by OK!, “It was only when Sophie mentioned that everyone seemed to be talking about it — and why didn’t they give it a try — that the queen agreed for it to be shown at Windsor Castle one weekend.”
The source added that Elizabeth, Edward and Sophie watched the series together, “though the queen kept interrupting to point out when things were wrong.”
The monarch also reportedly enjoyed Sophie’s company during private family gatherings, often inviting her to travel by car to church services on her private Sandringham estate or at Balmoral because she found her presence “soothing.”
Philip was a fan, too
Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, share two children: James, Earl of Wessex, 18, and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, 22. By: MEGA
Sophie didn’t just win over the queen — she also developed a close relationship with her father-in-law, Prince Philip.
“I think she really appreciated that Sophie made such a big effort with Philip, especially with her interest in carriage driving,” Seward told OK!.
The Duchess of Edinburgh has long shared Philip’s passion for carriage driving, a hobby that was later embraced by her daughter, Lady Louise.
“It’s lovely the way that one of the late Duke of Edinburgh’s big traditions has continued on through Sophie and Louise, and that they shared that connection,” Nicholl said. “I think Philip also liked the fact Sophie was never loud or brash. There was a mutual respect between them.”
According to Nicholl, “For all her glamour, Sophie is a bit of a country girl at heart. She’s very happy up at Balmoral, makeup-free, in the drizzle and wind with all the midges. She has never been precious in any way and I think the queen and Philip both found that appealing.”
Philip and Sophie also bonded over cooking. In the 2021 BBC documentary Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, Sophie said, “Cooking is something I love talking to him about. And he loves watching cookery programs. [The] Hairy Bikers” — English celebrity chefs Dave Myers and Si King, whose TV shows combined cooking with motorcycling travelogues — “I think is one of his favorites,” Sophie said.
A bond that lasted until the end
Seward said the queen welcomed Sophie into the royal fold early in her relationship with Edward and was supportive in difficult moments.
“I think she saw in Sophie a very sensible young woman, and she was quick to welcome her into the inner circle,” Nicholl further told OK!. “Sophie knew her place in the hierarchy of The Firm and never caused any problems. Even in the early days, when there was a bit of drama surrounding her, the queen stood by her.”
Nicholl is likely referring to how just weeks before her 1999 royal wedding to Edward, then-Sophie Rhys-Jones faced a scandal when a former friend and colleague sold racy photos of her that were snapped while she was on vacation to British tabloid The Sun.
“It could have been a nail in the coffin for her as a royal bride, but the queen was very sympathetic. She was always so fond of Sophie, and that characterized their relationship for decades to come.”