Duchess Sophie, who is known as the most non-controversial royal member of the family, found herself in the midst of an unexpected scandal as she was preparing for a life-changing event.
Prince Edward and Sophie had tied the knot on June 19, 1999 in a low-key ceremony – by royal standards – held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor instead of St Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey in central London.
However, before the happy occasion, Sophie was hit with a devastating news when a close friend and colleague betrayed her for £40,000.
In a new biography, titled Sophie, royal author Sean Smith detailed how Sophie had a “tearful outburst” as the unsavoury images were published in The Sun newspaper.
Sophie worked for the radio station before her job in public relations for Capital. Her ex-colleague Kara Noble has shared a topless image of a 23-year-old Sophie posing next to presenter Chris Tarrant while in Spain.
The book quotes former PR business partner Murray Harkin that he received a call from a distressed Sophie early in the morning and was in “flood of tears” after the picture was published in the papers, via Daily Mail.
Sophie was upset that the photo could “torpedo her innocent excitement and the support of the public”.
“She was so upset because she felt that she was ‘letting the side down’ before her wedding,” Murray said.
However, the late Queen Elizabeth showed “unwavering” support to Sophie and called the story “premeditated cruelty”.
The Sun had to release a full-page apology with the headline “SORRY SOPHIE” with a statement claiming it was a “saucy but harmless picture”.
Meanwhile, Kara was promptly fired from her job at London-based radio Heart and she was even called out for her actions by Chris Tarrant on his Capital breakfast show.
Tarrant said, “To the person who has sold these pictures, you know who you are. Kara, how will you ever be able to look Sophie in the face again? I don’t feel angry. I don’t feel disgust – I feel deeply saddened.”
