Queen Elizabeth’s “True Favorite” Is Taking Over One of the Late Monarch’s Beloved Roles

Queen Elizabeth worked tirelessly on behalf of her hundreds of patronages over the years, and in the past two years since her death, many of her roles have been re-allocated to other royals. Now, in a major sign of her role in the family, Duchess Sophie has been given one of the family’s most historic royal charity appointments.

The Duchess of Edinburgh—who turned 60 in January—is the new royal patron of Mother’s Union, a role previously held by Queen Elizabeth. Per the Royal Family, the organization’s “members bring hope and practical support to millions of people every year through parenting, literacy and community development programmes.”The late Queen and her daughter-in-law Sophie shared a particularly close bond, with Prince Edward’s wife being called her “true favorite” in the family. That being said, Sophie’s new patronage has an especially heartfelt meaning, as Queen Elizabeth’s own mom, the Queen Mother, once held the role. Queen Victoria also served as patron in the late 1800s and was one of the first supporters of the historic organization for women