Gemma Strong
Sophie Wessex issues heartfelt apology letter to Frank Skinner after making critical comments at Royal Variety Show
Sophie Wessex sent a heartfelt and handwritten apology to Frank Skinner following their meeting at the Royal Variety Performance in December.
Frank previously revealed that the Countess of Wessex had made some critical comments after watching him perform Three Lions with David Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds during the show – and told him not to "give up the day job".
To see the performance which the Countess found so inadequate, watch this video.
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According to The Times, he told Absolute Radio: "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.'''
The comedian said he explained to the Countess that he and David were comics, to which she suggested that the pair were "not used to live audiences" and were more perhaps more comfortable on screen. He then pointed out that he had played at the London Palladium just a few days earlier.
Sophie talking to Frank and David backstage at the show
It was Sophie and husband Prince Edward's very first time representing the royal family at the show – and came just three months after the death of the Queen.
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Acknowledging their circumstance, Frank said he thought they were still reeling from their loss.
It was Sophie and Edward's first time representing the royals at the event
"I think that what's happened is they don't really do this stuff much, and they've been reduced in numbers for various reasons, and so they've been pulled out to do this - and it's a bit of a skill just talking to someone for ten minutes and not upsetting them."
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However, Frank has now confirmed on his radio show that he has since received a personal apology from Sophie, which he described as a "lovely" gesture.
Sophie sent a handwritten apology
He told listeners: "I got a very lovely note this week - unexpected - from someone I've talked about on the radio show.
"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."
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