Royal Experts Say Kate Middleton "Confides" in Other Royals After Harry and Meghan's Departure

The good old days of Kate Middleton, Prince William, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry smiling for the cameras and giving everyone hope that the royal family would be changing with the times are long, long gone. Harry and Meghan seem happier than ever living in California and according to a royal expert, that means Kate and William have had to find other royals to lean on. Enter: Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. OK! spoke to royal expert Jennie Bond, who shared that Edward and Sophie are "bridging" the gap between King Charles III and Queen Camilla and the younger royals.

"Sometimes it seems strange to realize that these are two different generations of royals as they seem much closer," Bond said. "But, especially after all that has happened — not only with the queen’s death but with Harry and Meghan leaving and Andrew getting 'sacked' — the two couples have formed a tight bond."

Bond goes on to say that Edward and Sophie, who are very dedicated to their duties and charities, have a lot in common with the Cambridges.

"I think William and Catherine feel they can confide in Edward and Sophie and there are so few people a royal can entrust with their thoughts and feelings," she said. "Sophie, in particular, is a wonderfully empathetic woman. The late queen regarded her as another daughter, and — apart from one unfortunate scam when she was tricked by a News of the World reporter — Sophie has never put a foot wrong."

"And, because the age gap is not very great, she is a brilliant bridge between the generations," Bond adds. Kate and Sophie are 17 years apart, whereas Kate and Camilla are 35 years apart.

"She is so easy to be with as William obviously appreciates, which is why he invited her to Battersea Power Station with him. And Sophie and Catherine have developed a friendship with I think both value highly," Bond continued, adding that the public has also embraced Sophie the way that Queen Elizabeth did. "It is so much more evident now that Catherine and Sophie are key members of the list of working royals. I think people have really taken Sophie, in particular, to their hearts in the past few years, especially after she showed her obvious grief at losing Prince Philip and the queen."

There's also one more thing that connects Kate and Sophie: they were both commoners before they entered the gilded world of the royals.

"Both she and Catherine have a common touch … perhaps because they lived 'normal' lives before marrying. They connect with the people they meet and look as if they really want to chat," Bond finished. "They are the new female stars of the show — elegant, engaging, and empathetic."