Sophie Wessex makes subtle change as she 'grows' into a more senior role in the royal family

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is said to be making subtle style changes as she cements herself as a more "hard-working" and senior member of the royal family.

• A fashion expert said Sophie could be making bold fashion choices to show off her growing role
• Prince Edward could one day be given the role of The Duke of Edinburgh, which is currently held by his father
• Sophie would become The Duchess of Edinburgh
• It follows royal news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex make rare joint appearance

Sophie Wessex has been subtly changing her style in recent months as she prepares to take on a growing role within the royal family, according to an expert.

Prince Edward's wife was dubbed one of the hardest working royals during the coronavirus pandemic.

And, with reports suggesting she could one day become the Duchess of Edinburgh, if Edward becomes the Duke of Edinburgh after his father, her role is set to become even more important.

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Gareth O’Rourke - director of fashion buying at CHO clothing - told Express.co.uk that her "elegant yet simple fashion sense" has evolved in recent times, which could be a sign of her paving her way into a bigger role within the family.

"She is known to be extremely hard working in her role to support the Queen and her involvement in various charity work," Gareth explained.

"Her bold outfits could suggest her newly added responsibility within the Royal Family.

"It also suggests the importance of her appealing to a wider audience now that she is in line to become the Duchess of Edinburgh."

READ MORE: How Sophie Wessex is following in Princess Anne's footsteps

Sophie could be following in the footsteps of the Duchess of Cambridge - who has cemented herself as a real style icon within the royal family.

"It's no surprise that we haven't seen her in flamboyant or stand out pieces up until recently," he added.

"Bold fashion statements are a great way for the Countess of Wessex to gain media attention and raise awareness of her charity work."

It comes after a royal commentator suggested Sophie is taking inspiration from Princess Anne when it comes to her role in the monarchy.

Sophie Wessex and her husband, Prince Edward, are "very much following in the same footsteps" as Princess Anne, according to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams.

He told Express.co.uk, “I think over the decades there’s been enormous public respect for her work ethic.

“That’s basically what people expect from her, and that’s what she does."

Keep up the good work, Sophie!