Prince Philip 'would have wanted' the Countess of Wessex to be thrust into the spotlight and it therefore "helps to keep his memory alive", a royal author has claimed.
The Queen's daughter-in-law Sophie, 56, has has reportedly been encouraged by the monarch to fill the gap left by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle following their move to the US at the start of 2020.
'"The Queen is very canny. And she has always been very fond of Sophie," Ingrid Seward told The Times newspaper.
"Prince Philip adored Sophie, and the Queen feels that now is the moment to push her, just gently. 'Give some interviews, do some stuff. You work very hard, no one takes any notice. Get out there!'. I can see her saying that.
"It's what Prince Philip would have wanted, and now he is gone, doing what he would have wanted keeps his memory alive. I think he would have really liked Edward and Sophie to be a bit more high profile."
The bond between the Countess and Prince Philip was laid bare when the royal broke down crying as she opened up about his death during a BBC interview.
Sophie, mother to 17-year-old Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, 13, said the Duke's passing on had left a "giant-sized hole in our lives" during an interview with Naga Munchetty at St James's Palace.
It comes after royal expert Duncan Larcombe claimed the Countess of Wessex has become the Queen's 'rock' after Prince Philip's death.
He told The Sun: "Sophie Wessex has emerged as the Queen's unlikely 'rock' as the monarch adjusts to life without Prince Philip.
"Prince Edward’s wife has – according to sources – made it her personal mission to ensure Her Majesty is fully supported by the family.
"Since the Duke’s death in April, Sophie has driven the 10 miles from her Bagshot Park home to Windsor Castle every few days and most weekends to spend socially-distanced time with Her Majesty."
