The Princess Royal accompanied Queen Elizabeth's coffin as it made the trip south from Edinburgh to London, arriving at Buckingham Palace. Video / AP
It was only a month after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview when Prince Harry faced the unnerving prospect of seeing his family for the first time at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.
Barely on speaking terms with his brother William, having accused him of feeling "trapped" in the monarchy and much more besides, it was the tensest of returns for the prodigal son as he was reunited with his nearest and dearest to remember his beloved Grandpa.
Yet there was one person in the family who tried to make things a little easier. Along with Kate, who acted as peacemaker after the service at St George's Chapel, it was Harry's aunt, the Countess of Wessex who made a point of seeking out her nephew and chatting to him for more than half an hour.
With emotions running high, as ever it was the savvy former public relations executive who put her best foot forward to ensure that the burial of the late Queen's darling husband was not overshadowed by Oprah-induced in-fighting.
From left, Peter Phillips, Prince Harry, Prince William, Kate, Princess of Wales, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward. Photo / AP
If reports are to be believed, it was not the first time Sophie, 57, who is Harry's aunt by marriage, had stepped in to soothe tensions between the Sussexes and the rest of The Firm.
Cracks had already started appearing in Harry and Meghan's relationship with their royal relatives when their son Archie was born in May 2019.
While others left it to their diary secretaries to arrange visits to the couple's Frogmore Cottage home in Windsor, Sophie apparently jumped in the car and drove from her nearby Bagshot Park home, to become the first in the family to greet the new arrival.
As one source explained: "She has got the empathy and warmth that maybe people who grew up in that family don't naturally have. Normal people would think: this is what you do. You go; you make sure the new mum is okay and see the baby."
Sophie may be tasked with soothing tensions between Harry and the rest of the family. Photo / Getty Images
Little wonder, then, that the task of ensuring that the Sussexes are made to feel part of this week's sombre proceedings appears to have once again fallen to the woman Queen Elizabeth II regarded as a second daughter.
Chosen to accompany Meghan, 41, in the car to Westminster Hall for Wednesday's poignant lying-in-state service, the two women will once again travel together to Monday's funeral ceremony at Westminster Abbey while their husbands follow the late Queen's coffin on foot.
When they were known as the "fab four", Meghan would have been expected to travel to such a state occasion with her sister-in-law Kate.
Sophie may be tasked with soothing tensions between Harry and the rest of the family. Photo / AP
But a lot has been said and done since the days they shared a royal household, not to mention the fact that as the Princess of Wales, Kate's rise up the royal hierarchy means that she is required to accompany the Queen Consort these days.
According to one of the Countess' former aides, Sophie is made for the role of mediator.
"That's why she's the Queen's favourite daughter-in-law - she's down to earth and just gets on with it.
"Like Meghan, she's not only had a professional life before royalty but she also knows what it feels like to be vilified in the press. She understands what Harry and Meghan are going through."
From left, Britain's Camilla, the Queen Consort, Kate, Princess of Wales, Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Photo / AP
Another royal who has been playing a pivotal role in "pulling" William and Harry through the mourning process is their cousin Peter Phillips.
Having acted as arbiter during Prince Philip's funeral, agreeing to walk between the two princes, he will once again join them for the procession for their late grandmother's final journey on Monday.
"Peter is used to acting as a bit of a buffer," said a friend. "He'll play that role again in a bid to pull them along together."
