The Duchess of Edinburgh was praised for her ‘graciousness’ after a video of her leaving a royal engagement in London was posted online.
Sophie, who turns 61 today, attended the UNA-UK conference to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations on Saturday, January 17, in London.
A clip of Sophie leaving the Methodist Central Hall in London – the site of the first ever UN General Assembly in 1946 – was later shared on X/Twitter as social media users noted her kind-hearted gesture towards a royal fan.
In the 30-second video, the fan can be heard calling out to Sophie, who waves back before rushing over to the woman standing outside the hall.
As the video zooms out, it is revealed that the woman had been patiently waiting for Sophie to wish her a ‘Happy New Year’ and give her a bouquet of white roses.
After Sophie thanked her for the flowers and got into her car, the woman remarked she was ‘lovely’ and appeared delighted by their interaction.
Reacting to the footage, one X user said it showed Sophie’s ‘kindness to make someone’s day’ even while carrying out official royal duties.
Another added: ‘Love her little run.’
The Duchess of Edinburghwas praised for her ‘graciousness’ after a video of her leaving a royal engagement in London was posted online
The sweet clip showed Sophie rushing towards a fan so she could accept her flowers after the Duchess attended the UNA-UK conference in London on Saturday, January 17
The mother-of-two was radiant in red as she joined the UNA-UK conference in London’s Westminster over the weekend.
For the outing, Sophie turned to one of her favourite labels as she picked a scarlet midi-dress from Beulah for the occasion.
The silhouette was instantly recognisable as the brand’s ‘Yahvi’ style that features long, fluted sleeves, a fitted bodice, covered buttons and a full skirt, and retails for £750.
Sophie owns the flattering frock in at least four different colours, including cream, powder blue, and butter yellow.
On Saturday, she paired the red iteration with a pair of matching pumps for a monochromatic look that was effortlessly elegant.
She kept her makeup typically light as the fresh-faced Duchess left her shoulder-length blonde tresses down.
Sophie finished her outfit with a tan bag and, as she left the venue, draped a cream coat over her shoulder as the video showed Sophie gracefully running towards the royal fan.
When the woman told Sophie to put the roses in ‘some sweet water’, she replied ‘I will do’ and left the venue in a waiting car.
The beaming royal fan seemed genuinely pleased by her conversation with Sophie as she celebrated alongside another onlooker who declared: ‘You did it!’
Sophie accompanied UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a Service of Thanksgiving to mark the 80th anniversary of the first UN General Assembly meeting on Saturday.
Sophie accompanied UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a Service of Thanksgiving to mark the 80th anniversary of the first UN General Assembly meeting on Saturday
After she arrived at the Methodist Central Hall, Sophie joined local school children for the poignant Act of Remembrance, a candle-lighting ceremony that symbolised hope while paying tribute to the human cost of conflict.
Earlier this month, Sophie met the senior men’s and women’s England Hockey teams before showing off her own skills during a sporty outing to Bisham Abbey.
Sophie, who was an accomplished hockey player in school, swapped her high heels for a pair of sneakers after she arrived at the training centre in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, last week.
She joined the women’s team for a training session and was seen taking shots against goalkeeper Miriam Pritchard while good-naturedly laughing at some of her misses.
She was later seen chatting with members of the team during an indoor gym session, before Sophie posed for group photos with the senior men’s team.
England Hockey president Alex Danson-Bennett said it was an ‘absolute pleasure’ to host Sophie, who is patron of the national governing body, in a statement.
‘It was fantastic for her to spend time with both our men’s and women’s squads and to take part in a hockey session with them,’ Mr Danson-Bennett told Hello!.
‘We appreciate her ongoing support and look forward to hosting her again in the future.’
The last time Sophie – then Countess of Wessex – visited Bisham Abbey was in 2016.
She has previously expressed her love for the sport, as Sophie said she appreciates the game has a ‘great social side’ in an interview with Hello! magazine.
‘I always really enjoyed playing hockey, it’s so much more than just a team sport,’ Sophie told the magazine.
‘Hockey has a great social side and is a thoroughly enjoyable game to both play and watch.’