The Duchess of Edinburgh took her late father-in-law’s carriage to Windsor today, along with her brother-in-law, Prince Andrew, who was on horseback.
Sophie, 58, shared her love of carriages with the late Prince Philip, who took up the sport at age 50.
The mother of two has been known to take Duke’s late old horse-drawn carriages occasionally take a ride, and today some shooting took place around Windsor Castle.
She wore a navy blue jacket and baseball cap as she took the reins of the spring sun’s carriage.
Prince Andrew was also out for a ride, pictured riding around the sprawling estate on horseback, wearing a navy blue outfit and matching helmet.
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh (pictured) was photographed today taking one of the late Prince Philip’s carriages for a spin around Windsor Castle
The prince, 63, was seen driving himself away after the drive, snapping behind the wheel of his Range Rover.
Sophie’s appearance comes amid reports that the late Queen suggested to Meghan Markle that she seek help from the then Countess of Wessex ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry.
Sophie had become a ‘second daughter’ to Queen Elizabeth II, having married her youngest son, Prince Edward, in a lavish ceremony at St George’s Chapel in 1999.
But according to Robert Jobson’s new book Our King: Charles III – The Man And The Monarch Revealed – Meghan gave the monarch only a curt answer, saying, “I have Harry.”
The Queen was determined that Harry and Meghan’s marriage would get off to a good start and offered the Duchess the help of one of her most trusted aides, Sophie.
The late Her Majesty probably expected her suggestion to be met with gratitude, and was surprised to be turned down by the American actress, who believed her husband’s help would be sufficient.
Queen Elizabeth II strongly believed that Meghan would be a breath of fresh air and a great asset to the monarchy.
And while things started off positively, after the royal couple stopped working in early 2020, their relationship with the rest of the family began to fall apart.
Prince Andrew was also photographed driving in Windsor today. The 63-year-old is regularly seen on a weekly horseback ride in the area
The royal was also photographed in his Range Rover as he drove himself away from his weekly Windsor drive
Prince Andrew (pictured, right) was photographed driving on Saturday, a day before the royals were expected to gather to attend an Easter service in Windsor
The Duchess of Edinburgh, who was recently given the new title, an upgrade from her previous title of Countess of Wessex, became a mainstay of the Queen’s household after Prince Philip’s death.
After taking her new rank alongside her husband, Prince Edward, who inherited the title from his father, the new Duchess was said to be “relieved” that she no longer had to bow to Meghan.
Sophie had previously had a duty to surrender to Prince Harry’s wife, who was of higher rank as Duchess.
A friend of the couple said, “Sophie is relieved. She no longer has to bow to someone in the family who has not only stepped down from royal duties, but has also spent the past three years criticizing the institution Sophie supports so strongly.’
Sophie has become a popular and trusted senior member of the royal family, despite her own scandals over the years.
She famously shared a close bond with the Queen, who would treat her like a “second daughter.”
The Queen cared for Sophie in 2005 after her mother, Mary Rhys-Jones, 77, died of stomach cancer.
Prince Edward was promoted to Duke of Edinburgh on the occasion of his 59th birthday, meaning Sophie is now a Duchess too. The former Countess of Wessex was previously obliged to defer to Prince Harry’s wife (pictured together in 2019), who was a senior duchess
Prince Edward and Sophie’s home, Bagshot Park, is just a short drive from Windsor, meaning the Queen’s youngest son and his family would be a regular visitor.
Walking their dogs together was a favorite pastime of the couple. They also shared a love of military history, spending hours studying old documents at the Royal Archives in Windsor, where Sophie and her mother-in-law indulged in their shared hobby of researching military history.
Even when she couldn’t see the Queen in person, Sophie always made sure to shout “Mommy” every day, and she was the first royal to speak of Prince Philip’s death.
In 2021, a tearful Countess described the Queen as “amazing” as she and her husband Prince Edward comforted Her Majesty at Windsor Castle following the death of her husband Prince Philip.
She has also become a source of advice for the new Princess of Wales, who is said to admire the way Sophie balances her royal duties with motherhood.