Prince William 'eager' to reward Duchess of Edinburgh with key role

After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back as working royals in 2020, Kate and William began appearing more frequently alongside Prince Edward and Sophie at public engagements.

As Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh approaches her 60th birthday, royal sources have opened up about her relationship with the future King and Queen.

A Palace source told The Times: “They get on very well.”

Insiders also told the publication that Prince William, 42, is "eager" for his uncle and aunt to "play a more prominent role in public life."

The Waleses and the Edinburghs live a 20-minute drive apart in Windsor.

Kate and William moved to Adelaide Cottage in 2022, while Edward and Sophie have lived at Bagshot Park since 1999.

The royal foursome posed alongside each other at the Order of the Garter ceremony in 2023.

That same year, Prince William joined his aunt at a private screening of "Rhino Man", hosted at Battersea Power station.

The Duchess of Edinburgh also received praise for her comforting role towards the Princess of Wales on Remembrance Sunday last November.

The duo stood beside each other on a balcony overlooking the Cenotaph, where Sophie was seen laying a supportive hand on Kate's back.

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This came after Princess Kate's difficult year of battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

In September, the future Queen announced she had completed her treatment.

The Duchess of Edinburgh was understood to be a pillar of support for Kate during her difficult year.