The subtle change the Royal Family made to their social media
Watch: Countess of Wessex decorates bird box in support of Royal National Institute of Blind People
The Royal Family made a small change to their social media this weekend, adding a personal touch to one of their posts.
The main Royal Family account primarily shares the work of the Queen, but also of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, who don’t have their own royal household.
Over the weekend, Sophie shared a personal message, posting in her own words for what is thought to be the first time.
The message came after she had spent time painting a bird box over a video call with children who are supported by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
She wrote: “Thank you to the @RNIB for having me at your Shape and Share craft session this week!
“It was fantastic to meet the families and children, and see the positive impact of the sensory and interactive sessions.
“I hope the birds enjoy their new home!”
Read more: Who are Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex?
She signed off the post as ‘Sophie’.
The photo showed her popping the bird box up on a tree.
The countess is passionate about vision and sight loss work and much of her time as a working royal is spent with charities tackling those issues in the UK and around the world.
She is patron of Blind Veterans UK and a global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.
During the crafting session on Thursday 4 February, Sophie said of her bird box decoration: “I’ve just been doing (camouflage) down the side of it and on the front I’ve got leaves and a little bee as well.”
The session was led by artist Emily McFarland, to encourage children to listen for spring birds and marked the start of the RNIB’s Shape and Share events for 2021.
Read more: The 5pm ritual our fighting fit 94-year-old Queen lives by
The events, which are online this year, include pizza making, storytelling and lessons in online safety.
At the end of the session, Sophie said: “Hopefully one day we’ll be able to get together and compare what birds have visited our bird boxes!”
Sophie and Edward’s work comes under the household of Buckingham Palace, and social media posts about the couple’s work are usually written in the third person.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex have been more visible during the pandemic, since the Queen has had to shield because of coronavirus, but they don’t have their own separate team like Prince Charles or Prince William.
The Earl is the Queen’s youngest son and is 11th in line to the throne.
Watch: Who is Prince Edward?
