William, Catherine, Edward and Sophie stand together as Royal Family's new 'fab four'

Ben McCaffrey
Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:38:02 +0000

The Prince and Princess of Wales were seen standing with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh today, potentially marking the new "fab four".

It was not so long ago that the Royal Family's future was destined to be carried by the so-called foursome – brothers Prince Harry and William, with their respective partners, Meghan Markle and Catherine.

It showed promise: the prospect of two young and energetic couples leading the way in the new age of the British Royal Family.

But it wouldn't be too long until it fell apart.

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After a mammoth dispute, Harry migrated to the States, writing his memoir, Spare, and, in September 2020, stepped away from royal duties altogether.

For the king-to-be, he remained diligent alongside his wife while a new partnership formed. This was on show once again today at Buckingham Palace.

Edward, some 16 years younger than his brother King Charles and 19 years older than William, has acted as a pivotal glue in binding the two generations together.

Meanwhile, Sophie has forged a strong bond with Catherine, who herself has now become part of the furniture at Buckingham Palace over the years.

Together, they have made up a new, strong foursome that, on the foundations of hard work and dedication, has the potential to live up to the original "fab four" billing. Today was the latest example of such.

During celebrations in Marble Hall for Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday, Edward, Sophie, William and Kate could be seen standing together, discussing the day's events and enjoying a cocktail in memory of the late Queen.

The moment came during the Buckingham Palace commemoration for Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday, with around 190 guests in attendance.

Catherine stunned in a light pink A-line dress, while William looked his usual dapper self in a clean-cut suit.

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Sophie gave a subtle nod to the late monarch with her white shirtdress that featured a riding-boot print. Edward, meanwhile, wore a red tie with horses on it.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who returned to engagements after a quiet month following the Easter holidays, joined proceedings in the afternoon of a busy day for the family.

William charmed centenarian Joan Hollingworth with his characteristic humour, asking: "I can't believe you are 100! Do we need to call security? Have you snuck in?"

Edward and Sophie, on the other hand, were present as the Royal Family visited the British Museum to view the final design recommendations for the Queen Elizabeth Memorial earlier in the day.

A model of the memorial in St James's Park, including a new glass bridge and a 7.3-metre statue of a young Queen Elizabeth, was exhibited by designer Lord Forster.

However, the day was capped off as Buckingham Palace shared a rare family photograph, while the entire complement of working royals gathered for a centenary birthday party at Marble Hall.