The Heartbreaking Reason Sophie, Duchess Of Edinburgh Skipped Princess Diana's Funeral
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Princess Diana was the people's princess who learned how to use her celebrity for good, and so it came as a shock to the world when Diana died at the age of 36 after a car crash in Paris. Over 2 billion people watched her funeral on TV, and 2,000 people were at the service at Westminster Abbey. One person who wasn't there, however, was Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. She was Sophie Rhys-Jones at the time, and she had been dating Prince Edward since 1993. Edward and Sophie got married in 1999, and she was clearly serious about the queen's youngest son. But she didn't make an appearance at the funeral. It could perhaps have been an issue with royal rules or protocols about unwed partners to royal family members attending major events, but it was reportedly Sophie's decision because of her resemblance to Diana.
In the book "Sophie: Saving the Royal Family," author Sean Smith wrote that Sophie knew she looked similar to Diana, with her short blonde hair and slim figure, and so she made the choice to not attend. "Sophie decided it would be too upsetting for the crowd if she went. She's well aware that she looks like Princess Diana from a distance and made her decision in a caring and thoughtful way. The Royal Family fully supported," he said, according to the Daily Mail.
Diana and Sophie weren't that close and didn't like being compared
When you look at photos of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh from the time, there is a likeness. And you can imagine that if someone were in the crowd — there were millions in London who came out for Princess Diana's funeral — and they caught a glimpse of Sophie from far away, the resemblance could be striking.
Another complicating element to the whole situation was the fact that Diana and Sophie didn't have the easiest relationship. Sophie was often compared to Diana, and some think that Sophie may have been imitating Diana with things like her hairstyle and fashion. It could have been that Sophie was just following the current trends, and Diana was basically a fashion icon. But whatever the reason, reportedly, Diana wasn't all that appreciative of feeling like her style was being copied.
And Diana apparently wasn't all that supportive of Sophie when she started daring Prince Edward. Then there was the fact that the two came from different backgrounds and they entered the royal family at different times in their lives. So with all those factors working against her, we can see why Sophie skipped Diana's funeral.
Sophie's come into her own as a working royal
Unfortunately for Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, the similarities between her and Princess Diana were already dogging her when she was still a kid. However, Diana's massive fame also created difficulties for royal spouses with completely different appearances. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, struggled to find her place in the spotlight alongside her sister-in-law. Even decades after Diana's death, Catherine, Princess of Wales, was concerned about following in Diana's footsteps.
Fortunately, Sophie's been able to carve out her own unique place in the royal family and in the public eye. Since the early 2000s, Sophie's changed her signature hairstyle, too. She gradually grew out her shorter 'do, and worn her longer locks loose or in elegant updos, firmly putting any Diana-esque hairstyle associations in the past.
The duchess has gradually ramped up her royal duties in the 20-plus years she's been a working royal. Reboot Online's findings, per Express, showed that Sophie made 108 royal appearances in 2024 — and an anonymous source told The Sun in March 2025 that she's reportedly eager to keep increasing her duties. Since the roster of working royals has shrunk in recent years, Sophie's taken on more high-profile responsibilities, like traveling abroad. For instance, in July 2025, she attended multiple events in Bosnia and Herzegovina dealing with topics like sexual violence and the ongoing impacts of the Bosnian War. When William, Prince of Wales, eventually becomes king, it's likely that Sophie's public visibility will continue to increase.