King Charles III has turned yet again to his new “chosen couple,” brother Prince Edward and his wife, Duchess Sophie, in his time of need.
As the royal family faces its most significant challenges in decades, with the absence of Charles and Princess Kate Middleton who are battling through their cancer diagnoses, Us Weekly has reported that the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have been the pair honored with representing them on the public stage.
With support from Duchess Sophie, Prince Edward has appeared unfazed and up to the task, which has seen him rewarded and appreciated more than ever by the king.
Thursday, April 25, Prince Edward will step into his biggest role ever — leading the Royal Family in celebrating Anzac Day, which marks the anniversary of the start of the First World War Gallipoli landings.
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It has been a major role enacted traditionally by the King or Queen of England, so this is Edward’s most significant duty to date.
Anzac day is a national day of remembrance for Australia and New Zealand. It is a day to mark the service of members of the armed forces who have served, fought and died for their country.
The news comes as the pair, who Us sources previously said are being seen as the “chosen couple” were overlooked yesterday, April 23, for official new royal appointments.
Charles, 75, appointed his daughter-in-law Princess Kate, 42, as the Royal Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour. She is the first Royal Companion named to this order.
Prince William, 41, was also in the mix. He was appointed by his father to be Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. The role had been vacant since 2022 after Charles acceded to the throne.
According to the British royal family website, the Companion of Honour is a special award granted to those who have made a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine or government lasting over a long period of time.
Past recipients include actress Dame Maggie Smith, physicist Stephen Hawking, politician John Major and bishop Desmond Tutu.
In recent weeks Edward and Sophie have demonstrated their ability to step up and their new image in the spotlight has been well received by royal fans. On Monday, April 8, the couple stepped in for the king, 75, at a historic military event at Buckingham Palace.
The ceremony, which would’ve been hosted by the king accompanied by his wife, Queen Camilla, marked the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, an agreement between countries united against German ambitions in the decade before World War One.
Royal watchers clustered outside the palace to get a glimpse of who might represent the monarch. At the time, an onlooker told Us that many whispered that it may be Camilla, Princess Beatrice or her sibling Princess Eugenie.
Who they had not expected were Edward and Sophie, but the shock was soon replaced with shouts of praise as the royal couple’s car arrived.
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Before that, the couple were seen out together for the Easter Sunday service in Windsor earlier this month alongside other senior royals, including the King and Queen, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew.
Prince Edward and Sophie caused a stir then also as fans reportedly were in awe over their bond and their matching purple outfits for the service. Kate and William were not in attendance as Kate, like Charles, has taken a step back from public appearances as she undergoes cancer treatment.
