Duchess Sophie praised after apologising for 'awkward' comments

The Duchess of Edinburgh has been praised by comedian Frank Skinner after their very awkward Royal Variety Performance encounter.

The 58-year-old got herself in hot water after she criticised David Baddiel and Frank Skinner's Three Lions show, and after the scathing review, Frank revealed she penned him a personal apology letter.

And in a brand-new interview with The Telegraph, he praised the Duchess once again: "I was really impressed by it – that someone like that gives an [expletive] about anything anyone thinks or say."

What did Duchess Sophie say about Frank Skinner's performance?

So she comes up and she says, 'Well, don't give up your day job'".

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"I thought, 'This is not how the royal walk thing works'. And we honestly said, 'Pardon?' It's supposed to be just banal compliments.

"I said, 'Was it that bad?' And she said, 'Well, you know, I could tell, you know, it's not what you do.'

"And I said, 'Erm, well, normally we're like comics'. She said, 'Yeah, but you're on screen aren't you, you're not used to a live crowd'.

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"I said, 'Well we've done a bit of live stuff you know, stand-up and stuff'. But she's sticking with it and she said, 'Yeah, but you haven't done anywhere the size of this.'"

When Frank told her how he did the Palladium the Sunday before, he added: "She looked at me like, 'You're not supposed to be arguing, I don't think you're supposed to be arguing with me, you're supposed to just nod'. It was like a really awkward thing."

What did Duchess Sophie's letter say?

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While Frank hasn't detailed the exact contents of the royal's apology, he told his listeners on his Absolute Radio show: "I got a very lovely note this week - unexpected - from someone I've talked about on the radio show.

SEE: Duchess Sophie's blonde hair pops in in silhouette-skimming scarlet shirt dress

"And you know when the word classy springs to mind... I was quite moved by it. It was the most beautiful thing - handwritten and lovely. I was very pleased."

The event in December 2022 was the first time that Sophie and her husband Prince Edward represented the royal family at the annual event, which was frequently attended by Queen Elizabeth II. 

© Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

The famous production was first held in 1912 at the Palace Theatre, London, and was attended by Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary.

In a more recent engagement, Sophie was praised by onlookers for her hands-on approach. The royal attended the Driffield Agricultural Society showground and got stuck into making pizzas with the kids. 

And the wholesome outing sparked a flurry of comments, including: "That looks like it was great fun! And the Duchess is so charming."