Where in the world was Sophie in 2024?
Yesterday at 05:00 AM
The Duchess of Edinburgh never gets the credit she deserves for her royal work. This year alone, she travelled to 10 countries outside the United Kingdom, several of them marking the first time a member of the British Royal Family has ever visited that particular country.
Today let's take a look at all of Sophie's overseas visits in 2024.
Ukraine, April 2024
Sophie became the first member of the British Royal Family to visit Ukraine proper since the Russian invasion began.
While King Charles, then Prince of Wales, visited Romania to meet with Ukrainians displaced by war; and Prince William travelled to the border near Poland to meet with soldiers; no royal has stepped foot in the country since the Russian invasion.
Sophie paid a one-day visit to Ukraine focusing on her work with conflict-based sexual violence and to learn more about the impact war is having on women and children in the country.
In a jam-packed day of engagements, Sophie visited the United Nations' Survivor Relief Center in Kyiv, paid respects at St Sophia Cathedral, traveled to Bucha and Irpin where so much devastation had occurred, prayed at St Andrew's Church, and visited Save Ukraine.
In between, Sophie also met with President Zelensky and First Lady Zelenska, passing on a letter from King Charles and speaking to the presidential couple about the ongoing conflict. She also visited the British Ambassador's residence to meet Ukrainian citizens to learn more about their lives and struggles.
After returning home, Sophie wrote an article for The Times about her visit, noting that, "Since returning to the UK, many people have said how brave or courageous I was for going. I am neither. The brave people are those who have endured extreme violence and survived. The courageous are those who have reported the crimes committed against them. I am glad to have made the journey. Inevitably it was sad and emotional, and the painful stories and images, as with all my visits to places of conflict, will live with me."
Italy, May 2024
The Duchess of Edinburgh represented King Charles in Rome for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino,
The Duchess visited many of the places associated with the battle and met veterans. Among her duties was delivering a speech on the behalf of King Charles III.
Germany, June 2024
In mid-June, Sophie visited Germany in her role as Royal Colonel of the Queen's Own Yeomanry. This marked her first field visit with the British Army Reservists of her regiment since she became the colonel in August 2023.
The reservists from the Queen's Own Yeomanry were taking part in an exercise in northern Germany, and during her visit Sophie told the soldiers: "The fact that you've been given the opportunity to prove that we've got an extremely capable and reliable reserve force is very exciting. From what I've seen, the atmosphere is really positive and upbeat, and everyone is getting a huge amount out of it. I wish you all the best for a successful exercise."
France, August 2024
The royals always catch Olympic fever, and Sophie was no exception. The Duchess was on hand for several days of the competition taking in a wide range of sports.
The UK Ambassador to France and Monaco, Menna Rawlings, posted a photo of Sophie on social media after she arrived the first weekend in August, captioning it: "Delighted to welcome HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh to France for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her Royal Highness is supporting @TeamGB as Patron for cycling and hockey."
Guernsey, August 2024
The Duchess of Edinburgh's day-long visit to the British Crown Dependency of Guernsey in the Channel Islands celebrated the Association of Sail Training Organisations' Guernsey-Poole Small Ships Race.
The Guernsey Government House shared details of Sophie's visit on their website, noting that the royal met with 140 young competitors and also joined them on the water aboard the 'Prolific' ship.
Tanzania, September 2024
Sophie's September visit to the East African nation of Tanzania was carried out largely on behalf of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, of which she is a Global Ambassador.
The four-day visit to Tanzania saw Sophie travel to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, and Arusha for engagements surrounding women's empowerment, eyecare and health, and agriculture.
In a speech to healthcare workers working to eliminate trachoma by 2030, Sophie said: "I particularly wanted you all to know how full of admiration and gratitude I am for your passion and devoted efforts in treating and preventing neglected tropical diseases, especially trachoma. Your constant dedication and hard work will lead us to a world where inclusion and equality can be realised across our Commonwealth."
Malta, October 2024
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh paid a special visit to Malta in early October to help commemorate 60 years of independence from the United Kingdom and celebrate the shared heritage of both countries.
While the visit was chockful of the typical engagements you find on a royal visit, the most poignant perhaps—and the star shot on their Christmas card—came during a tour of Villa Guardamangia, the home where Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip once lived before she ascended the throne.
Chad, October 2024
Another first for the British Royal Family: Sophie became the first royal to visit Chad, travelling to the Central African country in October.
Sophie's visit was organised by the Foreign Office and was strictly embargoed until it was over. The royal paid a visit to learn about the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by war in neighbouring Sudan, and how it affects girls and women.
Sophie is a staunch supporter of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and the United Kingdom's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiatives; and with over 820,000 women and girls displaced by the ongoing war into Chad, she made her visit.
The Duchess visited the border town of Adré to learn how humanitarian organisations like Médecins Sans Frontières, the Chadian Red Cross, UNICEF, UNHCR, and the National Commission for the Reception and Reintegration of Refugees and Returnees are working to help refugees crossing the border—to the tune of 400 per day. She also paid a visit to the Adré District Hospital to meet with refugees and survivors of conflict-based sexual violence, and to learn how organisations are working to help and support survivors.
During her visit, Sophie said, "This is a human catastrophe that is vast and Chad is having to pick up the pieces when it can ill afford to do so."
She added: "Whilst the world and its attention is being focused very much on other conflicts around the world, the humanitarian crisis being faced by the people of Sudan, which is landing on Chad’s shores, cannot be ignored."
Sophie also traveled to Chad's capital, N’Djamena, to meet with the Prime Minister and visit more humanitarian organisations that support women in the country.
Ethiopia, October 2024
Sophie paid a quick visit to Ethiopia, on the heels of her visit to Chad, where she met with President Taye Atske-Selassie. According to a readout, Sophie and President Atske-Selassie discussed humanitarian aid desperately needed for Ethiopia, with Sophie remarking that the "international community’s current focus on Ukraine and the Middle East has led to a decline in humanitarian aid to other regions."
The pair also spoke about issues close to Sophie's heart, like the prevention of blindness, ending conflict-based sexual violence, and improved maternal mental health; while Sophie also passed along King Charles's congratulations for the President's recent election.
The post Where in the world was Sophie in 2024? appeared first on Royal Central.
