When Diana made Duchess Sophie flee ‘in floods of tears’ from royal dinner

A new royal biography has revealed the late Princess Diana once left Sophie Wessex “in floods of tears” during a tense dinner.

According to Daily Mail citing Sophie: Saving The Royal Family by Sean Smith, Diana clashed with Sophie, now the Duchess of Edinburgh, during her early days in royal circles while dating Prince Edward.

The book claims Diana never warmed to Sophie, who came from an “ordinary middle-class” background, and was far from welcoming.

Another awkward moment came during afternoon tea at Windsor Castle with the Queen, Prince William and Prince Harry present.

Smith writes: “Nothing summed up the situation better than what began as an innocuous afternoon tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle, attended by both Sophie and Diana, who came with her children, William and Harry.

"Every time an animated Sophie started to say something, Diana would begin speaking, which meant that Sophie had to stop. It is a tradition that if a more senior royal starts talking, the junior royal has to keep quiet.”

Sophie eventually asked to leave, furious and humiliated.

At one dinner, Diana is said to have stared at Sophie the entire evening, leaving her so disturbd she ran back to Edward’s apartment crying.

An excerpt from the book reads: "On another occasion, she ran back to the apartment in floods of tears after a dinner at which Diana spent the whole time blatantly and intently staring at her. Sophie would do her utmost to avoid Diana if she possibly could.”

Friends of Sophie reportedly said there was “no love lost” between the pair, and Smith claims Diana was annoyed when Hello! magazine ran an 11-page spread calling Sophie “beautiful and fun,” suggesting the Princess of Wales wasn’t keen on being upstaged.

Despite the early drama, Edward and Sophie waited years to announce their engagement to avoid clashing with Diana’s turbulent personal life and tragic death in 1997.