The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, has made a surprise visit to Ukraine on behalf of the British Foreign Office.
The visit is the first time a member of the British royal family has set foot in Kiev since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
The historic trip was intended to demonstrate the UK’s solidarity with those affected by the conflict, the BBC reported.
Sophie of Edinburgh in Ukraine
Sophie began her tour in Bucha, one of the places hardest hit by the war.
There, she paid tribute to the more than 450 people who have died and highlighted the disproportionate impact of the conflict on women and girls.
The Duchess then travelled to Kiev for meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenski and First Lady Olena Zelenska.
During these meetings, she was recognized for her work in promoting the Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative and her support of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
Through social media, Zelenski expressed her gratitude for each international visit, seeing it as an act of solidarity and support for Ukraine.
Sophie shared her impressions at a reception at the British Ambassador’s residence, where she expressed her sympathy for Ukrainians living in the UK.
In addition, the Duchess had the opportunity to meet with survivors of the Russian attacks, whom she thanked sincerely for sharing their moving and painful experiences and assured them that she would keep them close to her heart.
Last month, Sophie appeared in a video message at the conference on restoring the rights of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine.
In her virtual address, the Duchess of Edinburgh quoted the message issued by her brother-in-law, King Charles, on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This act underlined the royal family’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
“We must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress.”
The Duchess of Edinburgh has addressed, via video message, the Restoration of the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Survivors’ Rights Conference in Ukraine.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 4, 2024
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Sophie of Edinburgh’s outfit in Ukraine
For her first tour, the Duchess of Edinburgh chose a spring outfit consisting of a floral print cotton midi dress by Etro, retailing at US$1,310. She teamed it with a blue ‘Ginny’ clutch and cream leather pointy-toe pumps by Nicola Sexton.
Then, for the reception at the residence of the British Ambassador to Ukraine in Kiev, Sophie wore a floral silk crepe de chine “Fedra” maxi dress by Max Mara with a retail price of $1,390.