The royal family Instagram account is getting ahead of the festivities and just shared Duchess Sophie's portrait before her birthday on Monday. However, there's one tiny detail that I almost missed—and it has nothing to do with her photos. The gallery is currently liked by more than 190,000 people, but the one like I was most surprised to see was from the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Royal Family Unveils Gorgeous New Duchess Sophie Portrait for Her 60th Birthday—But One Tiny Detail Caught My Eye Most
Blink and you miss it
Published Jan 19, 2025
•3:21pm
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Instagram: @royalfamily/PureWow
If you need any proof, check out my screenshot above, where it was liked by their official account. During my daily scroll, I noticed the name automatically and checked again to make sure. It's a subtle gesture, but one that speaks volume of their relationship with Duchess Sophie.
So, what's the gallery in question? In the first photo, the Duchess of Edinburgh is all smiles as she sits by the windows, looking away from the camera. One of the most stylish royal, she wears a black turtle neck, white pleated skirt and dainty jewelry. The second photo has her outside, wearing an entirely new (and very chic) outfit: brown turtleneck, green pleated pants and a striking white pea coat. The third photo is a behind-the-scenes shot of the photoshoot.
The caption read, "Ahead of The Duchess of Edinburgh’s 60th birthday on Monday, a new picture has been released. The photograph was taken at Bagshot Park in January by @christinaebenezer_."
The post continued, "The Duchess of Edinburgh was interested in [Christina] Ebenezer's creative style of photography and wanted to support a rising female photographer.
As The Duchess looks ahead to turning 60, Her Royal Highness has a renewed sense of excitement and commitment to her work around gender equality and looks forward to further embracing and championing this issue in the years to come."
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While it's a tiny detail, it's nice to see the royal couple giving Duchess Sophie some support. However, it's no big surprise as Prince William and Kate Middleton have shown it on numerous occasions.
A great example is the viral moment at Trooping the Colour in June 2024, where Sophie lovingly placed her hand on Prince William's back. Soon after the pair have been seen chatting and joining each other at other royal events. I just love that we get to catch a glimpse of the sweet aunt-nephew relationship.
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But Prince William isn't the only royal that Duchess Sophie has grown closer with. Multiple reports say that Sophie has developed a strong bond with Kate. As one editor previously reported, the National Service of Remembrance is a prime example. There are series of photos, where the duo exchanged knowing glances and smiles, along with Sophie placing a gentle hand on Kate's back (just like she did with Prince William). A motherly gesture that spoke volumes on how close they all are.
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The almost 60-year-old has been a member of the British royal family for quite some time. She's been married to Prince Edward for more than 25 years, so love to see how united the royal family is—even if it just one like on Insta. That's a big deal, folks.