Princess Diana was the people's princess who learned how to use her celebrity for good, and so it came as a shock to the world when Diana died at the age of 36 after a car crash in Paris. Over 2 billion people watched her funeral on TV, and 2,000 people were at the service at Westminster Abbey. One person who wasn't there, however, was Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. She was Sophie Rhys-Jones at the time, and she had been dating Prince Edward since 1993. Edward and Sophie got married in 1999, and she was clearly
serious about the queen's youngest son. But she didn't make an appearance at the funeral. It could perhaps have been an issue with royal rules or protocols about unwed partners to royal family members attending major events, but it was reportedly Sophie's decision because of her resemblance to Diana.
In the book "Sophie: Saving the Royal Family," author Sean Smith wrote that Sophie knew she looked similar to Diana, with her short blonde hair and slim figure, and so she made the choice to not attend. "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," he said, according to the Daily Mail.
Read more: Princess Diana's Most Inappropriate Outfits
Diana And Sophie Weren't That Close And Didn't Like Being Compared
When you look at photos of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh from the time, there is a likeness. And you can imagine that if someone were in the crowd — there were millions in London who came out for Princess Diana's funeral — and they caught a glimpse of Sophie from far away, the resemblance could be striking.
Another complicating element to the whole situation was the fact that Diana and Sophie didn't have the easiest relationship. Sophie was often compared to Diana, and some think that Sophie may have been imitating Diana with things like her hairstyle and fashion. It could have been that Sophie was just following the current trends, and Diana was basically a fashion icon. But whatever the reason, reportedly, Diana wasn't all that appreciative of feeling like her style was being copied.
And Diana apparently wasn't all that supportive of Sophie when she started daring Prince Edward. Then there was the fact that the two came from different backgrounds and they entered the royal family at different times in their lives. So with all those factors working against her, we can see why Sophie skipped Diana's funeral.
Read the original article on The List.
