Royal fainting at Remembrance: How Duchess Sophie stepped in to help Princess Beatrice

The Duchess of Edinburgh was praised for her supportive gesture to the Princess of Wales as Kate stepped out for Remembrance Sunday amid her gradual return to public duties.

But this isn't the first time that Sophie has shown her compassionate side to members of her family.

Back in 1999, the then Countess of Wessex appeared to catch her niece Princess Beatrice, then aged 11, as she fainted on the balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as she watched the memorial service at the Cenotaph.

Sophie, wearing a wide-brimmed black hat, supported the young royal under her arms as she was taken ill, with Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and Sophie's husband, Prince Edward, also coming to Beatrice's aid.

© Tony Kyriacou/Shutterstock

It marked the first time that Beatrice attended the Remembrance Sunday service, with her father, the Duke of York, taking part in the annual wreath-laying ceremony. A report from The Guardian at the time stated that Beatrice's mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, was in the US at the time.

© Tony Kyriacou/Shutterstock

Then Prince Charles led the royals at the service while the late Queen Elizabeth II was in South Africa at the time. The day coincided with Charles's 51^st birthday.

It also marked Sophie's first time at the Remembrance Sunday service, having married Edward five months prior.

© Stefan Rousseau - PA Images

The couple were created the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in March 2023, coinciding with Edward's 59^th birthday.

The Duchess is renowned for her hands-on approach at her royal engagements, having joined children doing crafts and baking for their buddy dogs at an event hosted at Guide Dogs' Reading Hub earlier this month.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sophie helped to prepare food for key workers, organised donations at food banks and assisted St John Ambulance at their vaccination centres. 

The Duke and Duchess, who reside at Bagshot Park in Surrey, are parents to Lady Louise Windsor, 21, and 16-year-old James, Earl of Wessex.

Lady Louise is currently studying for an English degree at St Andrews University, while James is thought to be in the first year of his A-Levels.