For years, we’ve heard a frenetic back-and-forth about the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Sussex. This back-and-forth is coming entirely from Sophie and various royal camps – Prince Harry barely even mentioned the Wessexes, as they were at that time, in Spare, and Meghan has never said either way whether she considered Sophie an ally, mentor or enemy. Still, we were told variations of: Sophie tried to mentor Meghan but Evil Meg rejected her; Sophie did mentor Meghan but quickly understood that Meg “had her own agenda;” that Sophie was jealous of Meghan’s title and Sophie is relieved to finally have her own duchess title. Well, we’re getting a new version of all of that post-Endgame. Enjoy:

The Duchess of Edinburgh is furious at being drawn into the royal racism row reignited by Omid Scobie’s book, which claims she did little to support Meghan Markle when she was struggling to adjust to her new life as a member of the royal family. Friends of Sophie (who was then the Countess of Wessex) say that it is also “blatantly untrue” that according to Scobie she ignored Meghan as she was leaving a church service in Windsor. The author also accuses Sophie of being “casually bigoted”.

But Sophie’s allies point out that she went out of her way to befriend Meghan in the early months of her marriage to Prince Harry, inviting her to tea at her Surrey home, Bagshot Park.

“It was just the two of them at and they talked for hours,“ says a senior Royal source. “Meghan had so many questions and Sophie, who knows what it’s like navigating your way through the early days of transition from a commoner to a royal, gave freely of her advice. Sophie found Meghan likeable and engaging and told her that she could call her any time when she needed advice about dealing with some of the trickier royals.

“She was quite surprised when that was the last she heard from Meghan. As she noted, it would’ve been nice to receive a return invitation to Frogmore Cottage (where Meghan was then living with Harry and is less than half an hour from Bagshot).”

It was the late Queen who first suggested that Sophie could mentor the royal newcomer. Gyles Brandreth in his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, wrote: “The Queen (who, of course, had seen it all before) understood that Harry’s girl might find adjusting to royal life ‘challenging to begin with’ (as she put it). ‘It is very jolty, but you soon get used to it’ – that was Her Majesty’s experience going back many years.

“To help Meghan, the Queen suggested that her daughter-in-law, Sophie Wessex, would be an ideal mentor. ‘Sophie can help show you the ropes,’ said the Queen. “But Meghan made it clear that she did not feel she needed Sophie’s help. She had Harry.”

[From The Sun]

So which is it? Do we believe the royal sources who now claim that Sophie and Meghan had a perfectly pleasant chat session at Bagshot and Sophie was offended to never receive an invitation to Frogmore? Or do we believe Gyles Brandreth’s royal sources, which is that Meghan refused Sophie’s mentorship? What I’ve always believed about Meghan and the offers of “mentorship” is that she wasn’t offered much, but she did meet with whoever was offered to her. Probably Susan Hussey and QEII’s Black equerry.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Sophie Countess of Wessex and Forfar wipes away a tear as she is driven away from the Queen’s funeral service this afternoon.,Image: 724177361, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Steve Bainbridge / Avalon
Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London. Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Camilla Queen Consort, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Princess of Wales and Sophie Countess of Wessex.,Image: 724195093, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Adam Gerrard / Avalon
Duchess of Sussex, Queen Consort Camilla, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Countess of Wessex At the State Funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,Image: 724230983, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Camera Press Rota, Model Release: no, Credit line: Mark Stewart / Avalon

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 11: Sophie, Countess of Wessex attends The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall on November 11, 2023 in London, England.,Image: 821399183, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
USA Rights Only – London, UK -20191110- Royals attend the 2019 Armistice Day Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph memorial in Whitehall. -PICTURED: Countess of Wessex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex -PHOTO by: Doug Peters/PA Images/INSTARimages.com -48231183.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Countess of Wessex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 10 Nov 2019 Credit: Doug Peters/PA Images/INSTARimages.com **USA Rights Only**
State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held at Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Sophie Countess of Wessex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 19 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/ Images **North America Rights Only**

State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held at Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: Sophie Countess of Wessex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 19 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/ Images **North America Rights Only**
The State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II Featuring: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle Where: London, United Kingdom When: 19 Sep 2022 Credit: Sadak Souici/Le Pictorium/Cover Images **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE UK**