The Countess of Sussex has insisted the royals are “still a family no matter what happens” as tensions have grown in the wake of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.
In an interview with The Telegraph Magazine with both the Countess and the Earl of Wessex, Sophie revealed it had been “nice” to have a lengthy chat with Harry after the funeral service for the Duke of Edinburgh.
It was the first time Harry had been in the UK since stepping down as a senior working royal for a new life of personal and financial freedom in the US with Meghan and their son Archie.
His trip also came just weeks after the Sussexes explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they accused the royal family of racism and the institution of failing to support the suicidal duchess.
However, when Earl and Countess of Wessex were asked about the interview, they would not be drawn.
Feigning ignorance, Edward said: “Oprah who?”
A laughing Sophie responded: “Yes, what interview?”
She added: “You know, if you’re not into chat shows, there’s no reason why you should know who she is. Certainly not in this country, anyway.”
However, Sophie insisted: “We are still a family no matter what happens, we always will be.”
Harry also spoke candidly of his mental health struggles in his Apple TV series with Oprah Winfrey, The Me You Can’t See, which launched last month.
Following Harry and Meghan’s move to California, Sophie and Edward, who is the Queen’s youngest child, said they were “flattered” to be taking on a more prominent role in the now slimmed-down monarchy.
In their first ever major interview as a couple, Sophie said: “We’ve plodded along doing what we’re doing, hopefully doing it well. And then all of a sudden there’s a bit of a hiatus and things have changed a bit.
“Naturally, the media are looking for people to fill the so-called void.”
She added: “If people want to pay more attention to what we’re doing, then great.”
Following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh Sophie said her children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, still keep expecting to see “Grandpa” arrive in his green Land Rover Freelander.
This Thursday would have been the Duke’s 100th birthday and the couple have pledged to continue Philip’s work through the Duke of Edinburgh award.
They added that the Queen had been “keeping busy” since her husband’s death, with Edward telling the magazine that the job is “not one you can walk away from.”
He said: “It just carries on relentlessly. So yes the support is important, that we’re there.”
