Meghan Markle's royal pal shares reason why she didn't adapt to life as Duchess

Like Meghan Markle, Sophie, Countess of Wessex wants her kids to have “normal” lives. She said it would he "highly unlikely" that her kids would use royal titles into adulthood

Sophie, Countess of Wessex is believed to be Meghan's closest royal pal

Meghan Markle’s royal pal has revealed why she thinks the Duchess of Sussex struggled to adapt to royal life.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, 55, helped Meghan settle into the Royal Family – and was spotted sitting next to her and Prince Harry on their final engagement as senior royals.

She told the Sunday Times Magazine how Meghan may have struggled to adapt to life as a Duchess because she was thrust into it so quickly.

Meghan went from little-known US actress to Duchess in just two years while Sophie's adaption to royal life took five years.

She said: “I just hope they will be happy. Remember I'd had five years to adjust."

Megxit was reportedly seen as a chance for Sophie, Countess of Wessex to take a higher-profile role in the Royal Family.

But she said: “I am pretty busy already, so I’m not sure how much more I can do.

“People may pay more attention to what I am doing, but I remain as busy as I have ever been.”

Like Meghan, she said she wants her kids to have “normal” lives.

She added: “They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.

“They go to a regular school. They go to friends for sleepovers and parties. At weekends, we do lots of dog-walking and stay with friends.“People may pay more attention to what I am doing, but I remain as busy as I have ever been.”

Like Meghan, she said she wants her kids to have “normal” lives.

She added: “They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.

“They go to a regular school. They go to friends for sleepovers and parties. At weekends, we do lots of dog-walking and stay with friends

“I guess not everyone’s grandparents live in a castle, but where you are going is not the important part, or who they are. When they are with the Queen, she is their grandmother.”

Sophie is described as the Queen's "favourite" royal because she always gets a lift in the royal car – mostly because Her Majesty is said to find her "soothing".

The royal – who is married to the Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex – has received glowing reviews for her dedicated work in helping the charity produce an astonishing 59,000 free meals per week for NHS staff.

Organisers have revealed that the Countess of Wessex has been been rolling up her sleeves once a week to volunteer in the kitchen and get stuck in to the honourable work.

A source told the Daily Mail: “Sophie's done a fabulous job. She's got stuck into everything, cooking, prep work and cleaning.”

The source continued: “She's done it privately, without any fanfare, and the staff think she's incredible.”