April 30, 2024
Duchess of Edinburgh becomes 1st British royal to visit Ukraine since start of war
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has become the first member of the British Royal Family to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion more than two years ago.
Sophie, the wife of King Charles’ youngest brother Prince Edward, met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Zelenska on Monday and delivered a message to them on behalf of King Charles III.
The Duchess made the surprise visit on behalf of Britain’s Foreign Office to show solidarity with those impacted by the war and as part of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, the Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Sophie met with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, survivors of torture and children who had been returned to Ukraine after being separated from their families and taken to Russia, the British Foreign Office said.
She also met female volunteers who have helped communities deal with the impact of attacks with mental healthcare activities for children.
“I’ve been learning more about the situation in all its realities. Which, of course, is sad,” Sophie said in a speech during a reception at the British envoy’s residence.
“It’s true that women and girls pay the highest price in terms of human cost when it comes to the way that they are affected, the way that they can be used as weapons of war,” she said.
During the visit, Sophie paid her respects to those who died Bucha, where Russian forces are accused of committing war crimes including executions and rapes before the town’s liberation two years ago.
She also visited the “Road to Life,” a bridge which became a crucial part of Ukraine’s resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian forces proceeding to Kyiv, and later became a vital passage for people to flee from the Russian occupation.
