The Duchess of Edinburgh has made history as the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion. In a one-day trip, on behalf of the Foreign Office, she aimed to display her solidarity for those affected by the war. The duchess paid her respects at Bucha, where those killed in the Russian occupation were remembered. During her visit, she met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Despite the Royal Family having already expressed extensive support for Ukraine, including King Charles marking the second anniversary of the invasion, none of the family had visited the country during the war until Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, made her surprise visit. While in Ukraine, she spoke to sexual violence and torture survivors and children who had been forcibly separated from their families.
The duchess has been a strong supporter of initiatives such as the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. She also discussed support for sexual violence survivors with the Ukrainian President and First Lady. This unexpected visit stands as a symbolic message of royal support for Ukraine, and added to the Duchess’s list of trips to places rarely visited by the royals.
Sophie has previously travelled to Iraq, where she supported better access to education for girls and addressed the issue of violence against women. She has also visited Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More