How Sophie, Countess Of Wessex Is ‘Maternal’ Figure To Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle

They are both members of the royal family, albeit at different statures when it comes to status as Senior or Junior members of the family. However, body language suggests that Sophie, Countess of Wessex, has a great relationship with Kate Middleton, one that may be better than the one she was with Meghan Markle and other members of the royal family.

According to body language expert Judi James, Sophie’s introduction into the royal family showcased someone entering the royal family who had the ability to not only stay under-the-radar despite her status but also mesh well with her new family.

“When Sophie married Edward she was hailed as the new Diana, but what followed looked like a masterclass in hunkering in as the soap-opera-free royal bride who managed to be a stabilizing influence on her husband while keeping press and royal fan attention to a minimum,” James told Express UK. “Sophie is also said to be a close ally of her mother-in-law the Queen and in terms of her body language she tends to blend some of the signals of the kind of laid-back calm and fun that we get from Zara with the stoic, deft formality of the Queen herself.”

As a result, she was reputedly considered the perfect person when it came time to introducing Middleton into the family fold, and the Duchess of Cambridge appears to have mirrored Sophie well. In addition, when the women are seen together, their body language shows that they have since formed a close relationship, one which can almost be seen as maternal from the Countess of Wessex’s side of things.

“Many of the poses of the two women together show Sophie face-checking Kate with quite strong bouts of watchful-looking eye contact to suggest she’s taking a semi-maternal approach,” James said. “She also has raised brows and what’s called a ‘pinging’ smile that implies she wants to ensure Kate is enjoying herself.”

This relationship and guidance could also be why the Countess has reportedly been tapped by Queen Elizabeth to help Meghan Markle try to adapt better to royal life as well.

“The Queen has earmarked Sophie as a royal mentor for Meghan,” royal expert Katie Nicholl revealed previously. “The two spent time together at Royal Ascot last year and are understood to get along well. The pair share similar backgrounds, as Sophie, like Meghan, gave up a successful career in PR to marry into the royal family, so is in a position to help Meghan.”