As Prince William and Princess Kate prepare for their significant relocation from their modest Adelaide Cottage to Forest Lodge on the Windsor estate, one prominent Royal – who will also become their new neighbour – is poised to offer crucial support.
The Princess of Wales will shortly reside just a 10-minute journey from her Royal ‘closest friend’ Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who lives in the neighbouring property at Bagshot Park.
Sophie and Kate have maintained a longstanding friendship, with a Royal biographer revealing how their close proximity will strengthen their relationship even further as they can rely on one another for assistance.
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Royal biographer Sean Smith, whose latest book ‘Sophie: Saving the Royal Family’ has recently been published, told GB News that with the Waleses relocating nearer to the Windsor estate, the two Royal ladies will be positioned to support each other with greater ease.
He commented: “They remain the best of friends. They have always been two middle-class girls from the country battling their way through the etiquette and traditions of the Royal Family.”, reports the Mirror.
“They do not live in each other’s pockets. Kate has three young children to occupy her attention, but the Waleses’ new home, Forest Lodge, is little more than a 10-minute drive from Bagshot Park, so Sophie is near to help and support when she can.”
Mr Smith reflected on how Sophie and Kate initially established their friendship in the public eye, as they participated in numerous Royal engagements together. “We first became properly aware of their friendship when they travelled together down the course at Royal Ascot in June 2017 in an open-topped carriage,” he said.
“Sophie was attempting to change places when she fell on top of Kate, reducing both women to a shriek of giggles – it was a truly happy moment.”
Their bond has only strengthened during recent challenging times, such as the passing of Queen Elizabeth and Kate’s fight against cancer, with Sophie consistently providing support for the family.
“She was there to support Kate on the balcony of the Foreign Office in Whitehall in November 2024, a couple of months after the Princess announced she had finished chemotherapy treatment,” he explained. “They watched the wreaths being laid on the Cenotaph and, as they were leaving, Sophie placed a comforting hand on her back – it was a truly memorable moment.”
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond previously told the Mirror about the profound friendship between the Royal women, saying: “There seems to be a real friendship between Sophie and Catherine. It’s hard to think of them as aunt and niece. They seem much more like sisters or cousins.
“I think Sophie has been able to offer Catherine a huge amount of advice over the years – not just about how to fit into this very elite family, but also about how to juggle a hectic working life with bringing up children. And I suspect that Sophie has been a great comfort to Catherine (and indeed to William) during the past very difficult 18 months.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with their three children – George, Charlotte and Louis, are set to relocate to Forest Lodge later this year. Palace insiders have disclosed that the Royal property will serve as the family’s “forever home”, even after William becomes King.
Kate chatted animatedly to Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh -Credit:PA
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The Duchess of Edinburgh with the Princess of Wales at the Cenotaph today -Credit:PA