Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has made an unannounced appearance on the long-running British radio soap opera, The Archers. The 61-year-old royal visited BBC Studios in Birmingham in May, where she met cast members and recorded an episode of the popular BBC Radio 4 program.
During her visit, the Duchess was photographed holding a script and interacting with cast members, including Tim Bentick, David Troughton, and Susie Riddell. The episode featuring Sophie's cameo is set to air soon.
This is not the first time a member of the Royal Family has featured on The Archers. In 1984, Princess Margaret, the late Queen's sister, made a cameo appearance, playing herself as a VIP guest at a fundraising fashion show in Ambridge, the fictional village where the series is set. Princess Margaret recorded her part in the library at Kensington Palace, unlike the Duchess of Edinburgh who traveled to the West Midlands for her recording.
The Archers, which first aired in 1950, is set in the fictional county of Borsetshire. The show was once the BBC's most listened-to non-news program.
In other recent public appearances, the Duchess debuted a new, shorter hairstyle earlier this month. She was seen sporting a bob while attending the Groundswell Regenerative Agriculture Festival in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. The Duchess wore a denim midi skirt and a blue blouse for the event, which focused on promoting sustainable farming methods. She also recently attended the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials, where a hat made it difficult to discern her hairstyle at the time.