Sophie, Countess of Wessex, addresses Meghan Markle, Prince Harry stepping back as senior members of the royal family
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, hopes Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are "happy" as they begin their new life since stepping back as senior members of the royal family.
“I just hope that they will be happy,” Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, told The Sunday Times.
Meghan and Harry relocated with their 1-year-old son, Archie, to her hometown of Los Angeles, Calif., in April just as the coronavirus pandemic was spreading.
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Back in January, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the shocking announcement that they would be stepping back.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they will be splitting their time between the U.K. and North America. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty)
They completed their last official royal engagements in March and suspended their social media account. Later, the couple announced their new charitable foundation, Archewell.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Per People magazine, Sophie, 55, also spoke about how she handled joining the royal family.
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“Remember, I’d had five years to adjust,” she said. “And for our six-month engagement, I was even staying in Buckingham Palace. Not that you necessarily know how it will pan out.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sophie married Prince Edward, who is the youngest of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s four children, in 1999. They had two kids: daughter Louise, 16, and son James, 12.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex (L) and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (R) attends the annual Remembrance Sunday memorial at The Cenotaph on November 10, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
According to People, while Harry, 35, and Meghan lived at Frogmore Cottage, Sophie was a close confidant of the former actress's. Per the outlet, the couple's former home was just 10 miles from Sophie and Edward's place.
"We all try to help any new member of the family," Sophie said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meghan and Harry are now reportedly living in Tyler Perry's Beverly Hills mansion, but they've been worried about their safety and privacy. Recently there have been reports of drones flying over the estate.
"Drones have been flying over their house at all hours. It’s creepy and incredibly scary from a security standpoint, especially when they are outside with the baby," a source told Fox News last month. "There’s no telling who is flying them and they have received death threats in the past, so every potential danger has to be taken seriously."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive to attend the WellChild Awards Ceremony in London, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019. (Photo by AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
The Los Angeles Police Department also told Fox News that reports have been made regarding the presence of drones nearby.
“Reports of drone activity have become more prevalent in the surrounding area near the reported residence,” a source inside the LAPD relayed to Fox News at the time, noting that the force “can’t disclose who has made calls to police.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In May, the couples made substantial security upgrades to the $18 million mansion including privacy screens and additional security cameras.
Fox News' Julius Young contributed to this report.