Duchess Sophie's defiant clapback after being compared to Princess Diana
Can you see a resemblance?Duchess Sophie was often compared to the late Princess Diana many years ago – and she even once addressed the comparisons.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh is one of the most popular members of the royal family.
She is renowned for being both hardworking and down-to-earth in her royal duties and varied charity work.
‘Unfair comparisons made’ between Duchess Sophie and Princess Diana
But it seems it wasn’t always an easy ride. Once upon a time, when she was Sophie Rhys Jones, PR professional girlfriend of Prince Edward, it took a little while for her to be accepted amongst royal fans.
In particular, the now mother-of-two struggled with being pitted against the beloved “People’s Princess”, Princess Diana.
In a new episode of True Royalty TV‘s The Royal Beat—Book Club, Sean Smith, author of biography Sophie: Saving the Royal Family, reflected on Duchess Sophie’s royal journey with TV personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.
“There were a lot of very unfair comparisons made between the way that Sophie was and the way Sophie looked and the way that Diana was and Diana looked,” Laurence said.
“I mean, it didn’t help that the vogue, fashionable hairstyle of the time was identical,” Sean then admitted. “They both had it. And the bob or whatever it was called in those days.”
However, he added that Diana “was about a foot taller than Sophie”.
“And a very different person, as you say,” Laurence contributed.
Did Princess Diana know Sophie Rhys Jones?
Yes, Princess Diana and Sophie did know each other. Sophie began dating Prince Edward in 1993, months after Diana split from Prince Charles (now King Charles).
But Sophie married Prince Edward in 1999, two years after Princess Diana’s tragic death.
I don’t deny that we do look alike. But I couldn’t ever compete with Diana’s image.
While the couple were dating, there was much unfair media speculation over whether the two ladies got on.
According to the Express, late royal biographer Judy Wade made a claim that Diana “would often mutter, ‘Oh look, here comes my double,’ regularly claiming that Sophie ‘ought to get her own look'”.
Meanwhile, Sophie appeared to want to shut down the comparisons for good.
In a report by the Daily Mail in 2001, Sophie was quoted as saying: “I don’t deny that we do look alike. But I couldn’t ever compete with Diana’s image. I’m not Diana.”
If Diana were alive today, it seems the pair would have a lot to bond over.
Like Diana before her, the Duchess of Edinburgh has shown great bravery in tackling what royal commentator Sarah Hewson describes as “really gritty stuff”.
She has spoken out about important topics, including equality for women and sexual violence against women.
Sarah said like Diana, Sophie is “not afraid to go where others haven’t been, and she’s not afraid to talk about these issues”.
Read more: Prince George’s birth had special link to Princess Diana you never knew about
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