Duchess Sophie to make ultra-rare on-screen appearance for special cause close to her heart

The Duchess of Edinburgh will make a very special on-screen appearance next week on CBeebies Bedtime Story to mark World Sight Day on Thursday, 10 October.

Sophie will read Specs for Rex, the story of a little lion who does not want to wear his new glasses to school. The Duchess is passionate about supporting the sight loss community and eliminating avoidable blindness.

© Guy Levy

In a trailer for the CBeebies programme, Her Royal Highness says, "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."

The cause is incredibly close to Sophie's heart, as her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, overcame issues with her sight after being diagnosed with a condition when she was just 18 months old.

© Guy Levy

Louise was diagnosed with esotropia, a condition that caused her to have a squint in one eye that turns inwards, according to the NHS.

Despite her first unsuccessful operation, a second procedure in 2014 fixed Louise's eyesight. Sophie previously told the Sunday Express: "She's fine now – her eyesight is perfect."

© Guy Levy

She explained: "Premature babies can often have squints because the eyes are the last thing in the baby package to really be finalised."

"Her squint was quite profound when she was tiny, and it takes time to correct it. You've got to make sure one eye doesn’t become more dominant than the other."

Sophie's debut on the show will mark the second time a member of the British Royal Family has appeared on the BBC programme.

In February 2022, the Princess of Wales became the first royal to read for CBeebies, as part of Children's Mental Health Week.

© Kensington Palace

Kate chose The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson, a story she confessed: "I remember reading as a little girl."

After reading the story, the mum-of-three concluded: "Wow, what an encouraging tale.

"We can all feel scared sometimes, just like our little owl friend, Plop. But, as Mrs Barn Owl said, it’s better to find out about the things that scare us before we make up our minds.

"And with the help of others, we can often face things that worry us. Now it’s time for bed. Night, night, and sleep tight."