The Duchess of Edinburgh has won widespread praise after reading a bedtime story on CBeebies to mark World Sight Day. Sophie, 59, appeared on the popular children's programme on Thursday evening, reading a book by Bristol-based author Yasmeen Ismail about a young lion named Rex who initially feels self-conscious about wearing his new bright red glasses.
Introducing the story, the Duchess said: 'Hello, I'm Sophie. 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.'
Royal fans took to social media to commend the Duchess for her 'wonderful cadence' and 'soothing' voice. One viewer tweeted: 'This is the most adorable thing you'll see today.' Another added: 'Very cute. Sophie has a wonderful cadence and I like her accent.'
The Duchess, who is Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, used the opportunity to highlight the importance of eye care. In a trailer for the programme, she said: '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.'
Sophie is not the first royal to appear on CBeebies Bedtime Story; the Princess of Wales read a story in February 2022 for Children's Mental Health Week. The Duchess has recently increased her royal duties, completing 37 engagements in September compared to 18 in the same period last year, as she steps up to support the monarchy during King Charles and the Princess of Wales's cancer treatments.
