Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, used to be ahead of Duchess Sophie in the Royal Family pecking order.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, is reportedly “relieved” she no longer has to curtsy to Meghan Markle after she quit the Royal Family. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, used to be ahead of Duchess Sophie in the Royal Family pecking order.

The source told the Mail on Sunday : “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 criticising the institution that Sophie works so hard to support.”

The former Countess of Wessex had previously been duty-bound to defer to Prince Harry ’s wife who, as a Duchess, was of a higher rank. But Prince Edward was promoted to Duke of Edinburgh to mark his 59th birthday on Friday, meaning that Sophie is now a Duchess too.

They said: “Sophie and Edward were overshadowed because bigger stars in the family came along, and I think at times she did mind that.” They added: “But she was always pragmatic about their place in the hierarchy, unlike some others in the family.”

Responding to the story, one Royal fan commented: “Stupid tradition should be abolished anyway. Nobody is “below” someone else to need to make obeisance to them. Megs just went along with it out of respect for Harry and the Queen.”

“What a stupid reason to be happy you moved up in the royal rankings. This whole royalty bow-down, curtesy mess is ridiculous. Everybody is a human being before they are anything else. They sit on or stand before the toilet just like the rest of humanity so get over it!” another commented.

“Sophie is a good example of humbleness and descency. See how William and Kate are carefully silent and discreet to give credit to Edward and his wife. Who spoiled the important event again? Haz and his boss of course, again! claiming some ridiculous feudal ” birth right” in a democratic country without a monarchy,” a third agreed.