Overview

• Sophie and Prince Edward concluded a four-day visit to Japan linked to Expo 2025, with engagements in Tokyo and Osaka aimed at strengthening UK–Japan ties.
• Coverage describes Sophie and Princess Catherine as “firm friends,” noting Sophie’s visible support at the Cenotaph and at Catherine’s Christmas carol service last year.
• Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond portrays Sophie as a mentor to Catherine and a widely regarded “safe pair of hands.”
• Sophie’s international portfolio has expanded this year, including representing the King at the Srebrenica 30th anniversary and travel to Ukraine and Iraq to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.
• Unnamed sources suggest she could take on a larger supporting role when Prince William becomes king, a possibility reported without official confirmation.