sophie wessex smiling royal variety© Photo: Getty Images

Sophie Wessex's comments from 'really awkward' Royal Variety encounter revealed

The Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward were guests at the Royal Variety Performance

Deputy Online Editor
December 5, 2022

The Royal Variety Performance is a special night for British royals, and this year's guests of honour were Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex.

Although it's a big night for celebrities having the chance to perform in front of royalty, comedian Frank Skinner has revealed he was left a little disappointed after his encounter with King Charles' sister-in-law Sophie.

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The 65-year-old revealed how the royal criticised his performance of Three Lions with David Baddiel at last week's event. "I was gradually getting more ill, and more ill, as the day went on," he said on his Absolute Radio Show. "I was struggling. We were singing Three Lions. So I croaked my way through the dress rehearsal.

"And then, on the night, we did the show. I made Dave sound like Mario Lanza on the night. It actually hurt to sing it. Four minutes of hurt never stopped me singing. I was in physical pain."

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After their performance of their hit England football anthem, the comedy duo exchanged pleasantries with the royal couple. "Sophie led the way, bearing in mind I'd had a really hard day and I battled on like a trooper. So she comes up and she says, 'Well, don't give up your day job,'" he added.

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

The Birmingham-born comedian continued: "I said, 'Was it that bad?' And she said, 'Well, you know, I could tell, you know, it's not what you do.'

© Photo: Getty Images

Sophie with Frank Skinner and David Baddiel last week

"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'.

"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.'"

Telling her how he did the Palladium last Sunday, Frank then 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."

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