The 'caring and thoughtful' decision behind Duchess Sophie missing Princess Diana's funeral

When the late Princess Diana's funeral service was held in London in September 1997 the streets were lined with mourners and the Royal Family came together to pay their respects to her. Her sons Prince William and Prince Harry famously walked behind their mother's coffin in the procession, accompanied by Prince Philip and King Charles.

However, one royal who didn't attend the Princess's funeral was Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. Now, writing in his new book, Sophie: Saving the Royal Family, royal biographer Sean Smith has presented a possible "thoughtful" reason for this.

According to him, Duchess Sophie allegedly thought it might have been "too upsetting for the crowd" to witness her there, due to the resemblance between her and Princess Diana.

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Sean reportedly claimed in his book, "She had an obvious and reasonable excuse, a friend at the Palace explained, 'Sophie decided it would be too upsetting for the crowd if she went. She's well aware that she looks like Princess Diana from a distance and made her decision in a caring and thoughtful way. The Royal Family fully supported.'"

Royal Editor at woman&home, Emma Shacklock, considers this to be a very Sophie decision, if Sean's claims are indeed correct.

"Whilst we don't know for sure this was the reason, if it was, I think it very much reflects Duchess Sophie's personality," she says. "She's a very considerate and empathetic member of the Royal Family and although Princess Diana was family, her funeral was very public. Taking this into consideration would make sense for Sophie."

At the time of Princess Diana’s funeral, Duchess Sophie was still Prince Edward’s girlfriend. During the mid-1990s when both Duchess Sophie and Princess Diana came on the royal scene, the women were often compared, which allegedly eventually led to a sour relationship.

Many will still vividly remember scenes from the funeral of the late Princess of Wales, with the young Prince William and Prince Harry walking with their father, grandfather and uncle behind her coffin. The added emotions of seeing Sophie, with a very similar blunt, blonde bob to the late Princess, might possibly have proven too much for a grieving nation.

The royal author has also suggested that the similarities between the two women were often discussed in the media before Princess Diana’s death - and put forward the idea this might apparently have led to a strained relationship between the would-be sisters-in-law.

He even claims that Princess Diana would voice her frustration at their comparisons, suggesting she'd supposedly say, "Oh look, here comes my double" or "Here comes Miss Goody Two Shoes".

"The two women did not like each other," Sean claimed in his book, as per The Mirror. "The polite description of their relationship, as preferred by the more diplomatic of Sophie's friends, was to say that there was 'no love lost' between them."

While rumors of Duchess Sophie and Princess Diana’s tensions haven't ever been confirmed by the Royal Family, the Duchess of Edinburgh enjoys a close relationship with her nephew, Prince William, and his family.

Duchess Sophie is often seen laughing with Princess Charlotte during occasions like Trooping the Color, and royal experts have often remarked upon how she has formed a bond with Catherine, Princess of Wales over the years.