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    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Royal Expert Reflects on the Major "Mistake" Duchess Sophie Made, Which Ruined Her Relationship With Princess Diana

    There was apparently "no love lost" between the pair.

    Amy Mackelden#039;s avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 1 September 2025 In News

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    Princess Diana and Duchess Sophie with blonde bobs
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    Duchess Sophie is a crucial member of the Royal Family, who is often described as Princess Kate's "royal sister." However, Prince Edward's wife wasn't always as popular with every Royal Family member, according to one royal biographer. In fact, Sophie apparently had a relatively icy relationship with Princess Diana.

    While promoting his new biography Sophie: Saving the Royal Family, author Sean Smith discussed the moment that changed everything between Duchess Sophie and Princess Diana. "One mistake Sophie did make was having the same Diana-style blonde bob, which didn't suit her as well as it did the princess," Smith told GB News. "Inevitably, it would lead to superficial comparisons."

    Smith continued, "When she saw Sophie approaching at some function, Diana would be heard to mutter, 'Oh look, here comes my double.'"

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    The difficult familial relationship between Sophie and Diana never changed, and there was "no love lost," according to Smith. "Sophie did not attend Diana's funeral in September 1997, reportedly deciding that she looked too like the princess from a distance and that would be upsetting to the vast crowd," Smith told GB News.

    Princess Diana wearing flowers in her hair and a red and purple dress

    There was "no love lost" between Diana and Sophie.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Back in July, Smith discussed the topic during an appearance on True Royalty TV's The Royal Beat—Book Club. "I mean, it didn't help that the vogue, fashionable hairstyle of the time was identical," Smith said during his appearance. "They both had it. And the bob or whatever it was called in those days."

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    The two women were also from very different backgrounds. "Diana grew up within the ranks of the Royal Family, she was so young, whereas Sophie had, to a certain extent, had a life before she walked down the aisle at St George's [Chapel]," Smith explained.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    Duchess Sophie Diana relationships
    Amy Mackelden
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    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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