Looks like some other senior royals will be joining Kate Middleton and Prince William for their next royal engagement.
On Monday, January 20, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will host a reception at Buckingham Palace in honor of the U.K.-Africa Investment Summit. And according to People, the royal couple will be joined by Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Edward, (Prince Charles’s younger brother), and his wife often take on official royal duties on behalf of the Queen. Perhaps Her Majesty asked the duo to step up in place of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (although, we aren’t sure if the duke and duchess were ever scheduled to attend).
Sophie and Edward live in Bagshot Park—about 10 miles south of Windsor—where Markle and Harry have their Frogmore Cottage home.
Although Middleton and Prince William are holding the reception on behalf of Queen Elizabeth, the actual summit will be hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The goal is to educate businesses, governments and international institutions on all the different investment opportunities in Africa.
“The summit will demonstrate the strength of the relationship between the U.K. and Africa, showcase and promote the breadth and quality of investment opportunities across Africa, and highlight the UK’s commitment to supporting economic development in Africa, including through the creation of jobs and new partnerships,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.
While the Queen’s daughter Anne (who will also be in attendance) has accompanied William and Kate at palace receptions in the past, it’s not often we see Edward and Sophie attend such a high-profile engagement with the couple.
Since Meghan and Harry are stepping down as senior members, maybe we’ll be seeing more of this foursome.