The Duchess of Edinburgh will play an "important role" when Kate becomes Queen, a royal source has claimed.
Since the Prince and Princess of Wales and King Charles have temporarily stepped back from royal duties, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh have undertaken the majority of engagements.
Last month, the King received corrective surgery for an enlarged prostate, while Kate underwent "planned abdominal surgery".
Prince William, 41, is remaining by Kate's side and not stepping out on engagements while his wife continues to recuperate at Adelaide Cottage.
Kate and Sophie live very near each other in Windsor
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Although Prince Edward will not return to royal engagements until February 8, his wife, Sophie, is still performing duties.
It comes as a royal source told The Mail that the Duchess of Edinburgh will become "Kate's Anne" when she is eventually Queen, referring to Princess Anne.
The Princess Royal, 73, is frequently called the "hardest-working royal", having completed a whopping 457 engagements in 2023.
Sophie completed 219 engagements last year and is often credited as someone who carries out numerous royal duties quietly in the background.
Kate, Prince William, Prince Edward and Duchess of Edinburgh have all become very close in recent years
PA
Kate and Sophie are the two youngest working women in the Royal Family since Meghan Markle quit royal duties in 2020.
As a result, the Princess of Wales, 42, and the Duchess of Edinburgh, 59, have formed a close bond in recent years.
Kate and Sophie sat next to each other at the Together At Christmas Carol Concert, and were also seen chatting away on the Buckingham Palace balcony after King Charles's Coronation.
The Waleses and the Edinburghs also live very close to each other in Windsor, with the former in Adelaide Cottage and the latter in Bagshot Park.
Sophie will become 'Kate's Anne' when she is Queen, sources claim
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Latest Royal News:
Princess Anne completed the most engagements in the Royal Family for 2023PAKing Charles will likely be pleased that Sophie, Camilla and Anne are completing the majority of royal engagements, as he has long been surrounded by strong female figures, according to reports.
Speaking about his late grandmother, the Queen Mother, Charles previously said: "For me, she meant everything. I adored her."
A former Palace aide told The Mail: "The King is not frightened of powerful women, although he occasionally pretends he is."
Another insider added that Queen Camilla, for example, "can do more with half a raised eyebrow than many a courtier could ever hope to achieve".
