Duchess Sophie of Edinburgh is reportedly "relieved" that she no longer has to curtsy to Meghan Markle, following her recent elevation in royal status.

According to Hello! magazine, a friend of the Duchess shared, “Sophie is relieved. She no longer has to curtsy to someone in the family who has not only left royal duties but has spent the past three years criticizing the institution that Sophie works so hard to support.”

Sophie had held the title Countess of Wessex for over 24 years, since marrying Prince Edward — the youngest son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in June 1999. In March 2023, following the passing of Prince Philip, Prince Edward was granted the Dukedom of Edinburgh, and Sophie became the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Prior to this promotion, royal protocol required her to curtsy to Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who outranked her. Meghan is married to Prince Harry, and the couple made global headlines when they stepped back from royal duties in 2020, relocating first to Canada and then to California.

Beyond stepping away from royal responsibilities, Prince Harry and Meghan have openly criticized the monarchy, alleging a toxic environment and racism. Such controversies have caused tension within the royal family, particularly for working royals like Duchess Sophie, who remains one of the most active members in charitable and official engagements.

Etiquette expert Myka Meier explained the curtsy rules to People magazine: “While the newly titled Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will still have to curtsy to His Majesty King Charles and Her Majesty The Queen Consort, they will not have to curtsy to any of the blood princes or princesses or those who have married one.”