Brand Wessex stepping in to fill the void at heart of Royal Family

THIS weekend marked the relaunch of Brandwessex, manoeuvring Sophie and Edward into position at the heart of the diminished Royal Firm.

Their joint interview placed them in the spotlight, filling the void left by Harry and Meghan.

Along withwilliam and Kate, Edward and Sophie are among the Queen’s most reliable family members. After the dramatic exit of Harry and Meghan, the two couples form the new Fab Four – and this time there is no friction or jealousy.

Edward, 57, and Sophie, 56, are secure in their place in the Royal Family and accept protocols the Sussexes found restricting.

Edward is the only one of the Queen’s four children to have avoided marital scandal. Sophie is the Queen’s favourite daughter-in-law.

As with Kate, Sophie’s solid middle-class upbringing in a close family unit proved a better fit for royalty than the more elevated ranks of

Diana and Fergie. Edward, now Earl of Wessex, will become the next Duke of Edinburgh. It means much to Sophie and Edward, as they and their teenage children, Louise and James, were exceptionally close to Prince Philip.

In a new interview, Sophie spoke movingly of Philip’s funeral: “To see Her Majesty on her own; it was very poignant.” She also stressed the royals’ connection with the public, saying: “Many other families have had to bury loved ones with very few people.there we all were, doing exactly the same as them.”

When Harry attended Philip’s funeral, Edward, Sophie and Princess Anne barely acknowledged him.

Silence spoke far more than words.