Buckingham Palace’s New Fab Four: A Fresh Start for the Royal Family

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's public criticisms of the Royal Family dealt a significant blow to its image and reputation.

While the controversies affected everyone, it seems that Prince William and Kate Middleton bore the brunt of the fallout.

Since then, the relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Prince and Princess of Wales has never been the same.

Despite this, many royal followers still fondly remember them as the Fab Four, a term used to describe the future of the Royal Family.

However, recent revelations suggest that Buckingham Palace has devised several strategies to rebuild the family's tarnished image, and one of them involves forming a new Fab Four.

Notably absent from this group are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The new ensemble reportedly includes Kate Middleton, Prince William, Edward, and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

Edward and Sophie have a long history with the Royal Family, having worked alongside them for years.

They exude class and prefer to keep a low profile, making their inclusion in the group a significant improvement compared to Harry and Meghan.

Interestingly, the late Queen Elizabeth II had actually envisioned her youngest son and daughter-in-law as mentors to Harry and Meghan when the former Suits actress joined the Royal Family.

Edward and Sophie share many similarities with the couple, as Sophie also gave up a successful career in public relations to join the royals, mirroring Meghan's transition from acting.

Edward and Sophie were once seen as potential mediators between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the family.

They are among the few royals who have publicly spoken about the couple.

In a rare interview with the Sunday Times, Sophie drew parallels between her own experiences and Meghan's.

Reflecting on her engagement to Edward, she remarked, “Remember, I'd had five years to adjust to royal life, and for our six-month engagement, I even stayed at Buckingham Palace.

Not that you necessarily know how it will pan out.”

According to the Times, Sophie was the first member of the Royal Family to visit Harry and Meghan at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor following the birth of their son Archie in 2019.

A source also revealed that Sophie possesses a natural empathy and relatability that perhaps some other members of the firm lack.

During Harry and Meghan's final official engagement as working royals in March 2020, they were seen conversing and sharing laughter with Edward at the Commonwealth Day service held at Westminster Abbey.

It is evident that Sophie and Meghan share many common interests, as noted by Mirror royal editor Russell Myers on True Royalty TV's The Royal Beat.

However, Myers emphasized that Sophie possesses an in-depth understanding of her subject matter, stating, “It's not just for show.”

With the absence of the Sussexes, it is undeniable that the Wessexes, as Edward and Sophie are known, will inevitably play a more prominent role within the Royal Family.

Following Harry and Meghan's decision to step down, Edward and Sophie have seen their responsibilities within the Royal Family increase.

Towards the end of last year, they became Councillors of State for Charles for life, enabling them to fulfill constitutional duties on his behalf.

Traditionally, these roles would have belonged to Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, who are higher in the line of succession.

However, due to their withdrawal from official duties, they were stripped of these positions.