Overview

• Sean Smith’s Sophie: Saving the Royal Family, published July 17, 2025, discloses that Sophie, then known as Sophie Rhys-Jones, declined to attend Princess Diana’s funeral over fears her likeness would upset the crowd.
• A friend at the palace told Smith that her decision was a thoughtful act to protect mourners’ emotions and carried the full endorsement of the royal family.
• At the time of Diana’s death in August 1997, Sophie was dating Prince Edward and had adopted a similar cropped blonde hairstyle and blue-eyed appearance.
• The revelation highlights how personal identity and public perception can influence royal protocol during moments of national mourning.
• Since marrying Prince Edward in 1999, Sophie has become a senior working royal dedicated to disability inclusion, combating avoidable blindness and supporting survivors of sexual violence.