Sophie Wessex's sweet gesture to young mourner in surprise Buckingham Palace appearance

ok.co.uk:

Sophie, The Countess of Wessex, and her husband Prince Edward surprised mourners outside Buckingham Palace on Saturday 17 September as they made an unexpected appearance to thank them for their well wishes.The Royal couple took several minutes to shake hands and speak to the mourners who had gathered outside the Palace to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who sadly passed away on 8 September.

Excited crowds of well wishers, including some who had been standing for several hours, cheered and applauded as the couple made an appearance outside the Palace gates on Saturday afternoon, before taking their time to greet as many people as possible.

Dressed all-in-black for the occasion the couple were inundated with flowers, cards and teddy bears as they shared their grief with the nation, with one young mourner in particular catching Sophie's eye during their visit.The young girl is said to have first caught Sophie's attention as she sported a t-shirt decorated with photos of the late Queen through the decades of her reign - with the Countess even stopping to chat to her for a few moments.

Both Sophie and Edward appeared at times, to be visibly emotional at the sheer scale of the crowds before them, with the latest walkabout coming shortly after the Royal Family admitted it had been “overwhelmed by the tide of emotion” following the Queen’s death.