Prince Edwards (60) and his wife Duchess Sophie (59) visited Ukraine on Monday (April 29). Her appearance was a special event for the British royal family: The Duchess of Edinburgh is the first member of the royal family to visit the country since the outbreak of war.
As the BBC reports, Duchess Sophie arrived on behalf of the British Foreign Office on a one-day visit to “express her solidarity with the women, men and children affected by the war.” In the city of Bucha, the Duchess paid tribute to the people who lost their lives during the Russian war of aggression. She spoke to survivors of sexual violence and torture and children who had been returned to Ukraine after being forcibly separated from their families. In Irpin, Prince Edward’s wife also visited the rubble of a bridge that was blown up to prevent Russian soldiers from advancing on Kiev.
A meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (46) took place in Kiev. She is said to have delivered a private message to him from King Charles (75). With Olena Zelenska (46), the president’s wife, she visited St. Sophia’s Cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Duchess Sophie also gave a speech during a reception in Kiev at the residence of the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Ukraine.