When Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997, the world went into mourning for the beloved royal.
Reflecting this public grief, Diana's funeral became one of the highest-profile events in royal history, taking place just six days after her death. The service was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide and was held on 6 September 1997 at Westminster Abbey in London. It was then followed by a private burial at her family estate called Althorp.
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Thousands of mourners gathered alongside senior royals, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the then-Prince Charles. Yet one respected royal was noticeably absent from the service and the reason might surprise you...
Who didn't attend?
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The Duchess of Edinburgh is widely regarded as one of the most respected royals, but at the time of Princess Diana's death, she was still known simply as Sophie Rhys-Jones.
Sophie and Prince Edward had been dating seriously for several years at the time of Diana's funeral, but despite the high-profile event, Sophie was notably absent from the proceedings.
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In a biography titled Sophie: Saving the Royal Family, Sean Smith claimed Sophie missed the funeral out of sensitivity to the grieving public. According to Sean, Sophie worried that her physical resemblance to Diana might have caused further distress to mourners lining the procession route.
The author wrote: "She (Sophie) had an obvious and reasonable excuse: a friend at the palace explained, '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 her."
Does Duchess Sophie look similar to Princess Diana?
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At the time, Sophie bore a noticeable resemblance to Diana. Both women had short, blonde hairstyles and similar facial features, including their striking blue eyes. While their outward appearances matched, insiders suggest the two women were very different in personality and style. According to multiple reports, they did not always see eye-to-eye.
Royal author Andrew Morton previously described an uncomfortable encounter between Sophie and Diana in his book Diana: In Pursuit of Love. Morton claimed Diana once upset Sophie at a royal dinner, causing her to leave the event in tears. He wrote that Diana had made her "disdain clear" by "staring intensely at her" throughout the evening. Despite these claims, Sophie herself has never spoken publicly in detail about her relationship with the late Princess.
Princess Diana's funeral remembered
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Princess Diana's funeral remains one of the most-watched televised events of all time and many remember the poignant sight of young Prince William and Prince Harry, then aged just 15 and 12, bravely walking behind their mother’s coffin. Crowds lined London’s streets to say goodbye to the beloved princess, leaving tributes and flowers outside Kensington Palace.
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Alongside royals, major celebrities showed their support by attending too, such as Elton John, George Michael, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks.
Sophie's current role in the royal family
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Today, Duchess Sophie is regarded as one of the family’s most trusted members, regularly representing King Charles at royal engagements.
Royal experts frequently praise her calm and steady presence. She is known for quietly supporting her husband Edward, now the Duke of Edinburgh, in his public duties. Together they share two children, Lady Louise Windsor, 22, and James, Earl of Wessex, 18.
Sophie's charitable work in her royal role includes advocating for issues such as women's rights, eradicating avoidable blindness, and promoting mental health awareness.