Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, delighted children (and slightly older royal fans) by reading a bedtime story on national television to mark World Sight Day.
On Thursday, the 59-year-old wife of Prince Edward read a story by Bristol-based author Yasmeen Ismail about a young lion who doesn’t feel comfortable enough to wear his new bright red glasses to school.
The wife of Prince Edward, who has always been passionate about supporting the sight loss community and eliminating avoidable blindness, opted for a light pink woollen jumper to read the story – as well as her own square-frame glasses.
‘Hello, I’m Sophie,’ the Duchess said to start the programme. ‘And this is Rex. He’s wearing very snazzy specs. Do you or does anyone in your family wear glasses?
‘Rex used to feel a little shy about wearing his glasses but not anymore. He loves to wear them now. Let me tell you all about Rex in tonight’s CBeebies Bedtime Story.’
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, poses with the lion Rex and his specs while filming for the CBeebies Bedtime Story
Royal fans praised the Duchess for her ‘wonderful cadence’ during the reading and said her voice was very ‘soothing’
After concluding the story, the mother-of-two said: ‘I think Rex looks great in his big, round, red glasses – don’t you? They’re stylish and helpful and they are part of you, Rex.
‘So next time you see someone wearing glasses, why don’t you tell them that they look great?
‘But now it is time to go to bed and dream of all of the fun and beautiful things you might see tomorrow. See you soon. Night night.’
Royal fans flocked to social media to lavish praise on the Duchess of Edinburgh following her reading.
After watching Sophie’s heartwarming bedtime story, one tweeted: ‘This is the most adorable thing you’ll see today.’
Another fan agreed and said: ‘Very cute. Sophie has a wonderful cadence and I like her accent.’
The Duchess has two children herself – Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex – who fans imagined would have loved her ‘soothing’ bedtime reading voice when they were younger.
Louise, now 20, studies English Literature at the University of St Andrews in Scotland while James, 16, has sat his GCSE examinations this year.
Prince Edward stands on the Buckingham Palace balcony with Sophie and their children Louise and James during Trooping the Colour in 2013. After hearing the Duchess of Edinburgh read a bedtime story on CBeebies, fans imagined how they would have loved her ‘soothing’ bedtime reading voice when they were younger
Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, also read a bedtime story for CBeebies in 2022 to mark Children’s Mental Health Week
Established in 2002, CBeebies Bedtime Story is on each weekday at 6.50pm on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.
The Duchess of Edinburgh isn’t the first royal to have appeared on the show, with the Princess of Wales also doing so in February to 2022 to mark Children’s Mental Health Week.
But Sophie used her story about Rex and his glasses to mark World Sight Day.
In a trailer for the CBeebies programme, Her Royal Highness spoke in her capacity as Global Ambassador of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and said: ‘Millions of us need glasses to see the world clearly.
‘World Sight Day is a reminder to all of us to take care of our eyes, whether we need glasses or not.
‘Our eyes are precious, and our sight is something to cherish and look after. So, let’s remember to take care of our eyes this World Sight Day.’
Sophie has established herself as one of the hardest working members of the royal family after doubling her number of royal engagements in the past year.
The 59-year-old truly stepped up to fill the gap left by King Charles and Kate Middleton as they faced cancer treatment.
The Duchess has completed 37 engagements so far in September, compared to 18 in the same dates last year.
Just this week, Sophie and her husband Prince Edward embarked on a poignant trip to Malta to mark the 60th anniversary of the island’s independence.
A composite of photos of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh walking in the gardens during a tour of Villa Guardamangia in 2024 and a file photo dated on 23/11/1949 of the late Queen Elizabeth (then Princess Elizabeth) accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, in the gardens of the Villa Guardamangia, their former residence when they were a young married couple
Accompanied by representatives from Heritage Malta, the royal couple embarked on a tour around Villa Guardamangia in Pieta, Malta on the third day of their visit to the island.
The Maltese villa holds special significance for the Royal Family as it was where the late Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip lived between 1949 and 1951, while the prince was stationed in Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer.
Duchess Sophie looked radiant in a floor length white chiffon gown, which was patterned with bright red poppies.
She accessorised the outfit with a beige belt pulled in at the waist and carried a pair of stylish looking sunglasses in one hand, offering her protection from the bright Maltese sun.
The duchess styled the chic summery outfit with a pair of white heeled sandals.
Meanwhile, Prince Edward looked dashing in a double breasted grey suit and a magenta tie to match the poppies flowing from Sophie’s skirt.
Edward and Sophie strolled the grounds of the impressive abode, stopping to pose for a picture of the balcony where the late Queen and Phillip were pictured 70 years ago.
Edward and Sophie stopping to pose for a picture of the balcony where the late Queen and Phillip were pictured 70 years ago
The Villa Guardamangia, was the former residence of the late Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, when they were a young married couple (pictured of the roof of the villa)
Duchess Sophie wears a floor length white chiffon gown, which was patterned with bright red poppies
Prior to their trip to Malta, Sophie visited an animal sanctuary in Surrey, where she sweetly cuddled a rescue chicken called ‘Stumpy‘.
Sophie, known for being a good sport, even had the opportunity to take part in the weighing of Shetland Ponies with young children from the local community at Mane Chance Sanctuary, a horse rescue charity.
In September the Duchess also travelled solo to Tanzania, delivering a message from the King to the Commonwealth nation, whilst at the start of the month, she was in France for the Paris Paralympics, alongside Prince Edward.
In April, Sophie become the first British royal to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.
She met with President Zelensky and his wife – and passed on a personal message from King Charles – as she showed her solitary with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture during her emotional one-day trip.
Sophie appeared in her element as she visited an animal sanctuary in Surrey on September 25, where she sweetly cuddled a rescue chicken called ‘Stumpy’
Sophie (pictured right) visited the Domaine Evremond Winery in Canterbury on September 26
The Duchess of Edinburgh during a visit to the Hale Youth & Community Centre on September 25 in Farnham
Sophie travelled solo to Tanzania (pictured right, during her visit on September 19), delivering a message from the King to the Commonwealth nation
Sophie cut a stylish figure at a British Fashion Council event on September 12, wearing tweed trousers and a maroon blouse
On September 4, Sophie was in France for the Paris Paralympics, alongside Prince Edward (pictured)
The mother of-two travelled in her role as champion of the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
It is understood she was ‘keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion’.
In May 2023, Sophie became the first UK royal to visit Baghdad as she made a surprise visit to Iraq as part of her work championing the survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.
Sophie spent two days in the capital, where she heard about the challenges facing Iraqi women and girls, and the ongoing work to protect and promote their rights, Buckingham Palace announced.
For many years, Sophie was something of an outsider in the British Royal Family – but after decades of hard work and loyal service, she has established herself as a key figure in the monarchy.
