Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex revealed as guests of honour for iconic TV event in place of the late Queen

Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex will step in for Her Majesty, the Queen, as it has been announced that the royal couple will be the guests of honor for the Royal Variety Show.

• The Royal Variety Performance is held every year and is always attended by a member of the Royal Family.
• It has been announced that the Earl and the Countess of Wessex will be this year's guests of honor as they step up for the Queen's beloved patronage.
• In other royal news, Prince Harry had dreams of bringing Archie up somewhere other than the UK or California.

The Queen was the sole-Patron of the Royal Variety Charity, and attended the Royal Variety Performance 39 times from 1945 to 2012. When Her Majesty was unable to attend, members of the Royal Family would step in for her and watch the exciting array of events take place on stage. 

The Earl and Countess of Wessex have not had the pleasure of being the royal guests of honor for this event, and it has just been announced that this December, the royal couple will finally step up to this role.

The Royal Variety Charity announced on social media, "We are thrilled that our Royal guests of honour at this year's Royal Variety Performance will be Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar."

"A heartfelt and sincere thanks to Their Royal Highnesses for supporting our crucial fundraising sell-out show on 1st December @RoyalAlbertHall. #Variety4Charity"

It is thought that the Royal Variety Performance is now watched by more than 152 million TV viewers worldwide. This makes it the most successful and longest-running entertainment show in the world.

Giles Cooper, chairman of the Royal Variety Charity, spoke about the importance of this event, given the Uk's current 'economic climate'. "The support from ticket sales for the performance means that the Royal Variety Charity continues to thrive, even given the current economic climate being felt by so many throughout the charitable world," said the chairman.

The Royal Variety Charity supports those who have worked in the entertainment industry in a number of different capacities. The charity helps those who have worked on stage, in the wings, in front of a camera, or behind it, as well as all those who have spent their lives working in the numerous support industries dedicated to entertainment.

Lee Mack, the comedian hosting the show said about this event, "I was going to buy tickets for this year’s Royal Variety Performance, so not only is it a real honor to be asked to host it but it’s also saved me a few quid. I now just have to work out the logistics of introducing these brilliant acts and also rushing back to my seat to watch them."