Duchess of Edinburgh becomes first royal to visit Ukraine since invasion

by Mick the Ram

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, has made a surprise visit to Ukraine, becoming the first member of the UK royal family to do so since the Russian invasion.

Her one-day trip was arranged by the Foreign Office to “demonstrate solidarity with the men, women and children impacted by the war”.

The Duchess, who is married to Prince Edward, the youngest brother of King Charles III, paid her respects to those who had lost their lives in the town of Bucha during the illegal occupation.

This was followed by a meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska, to whom she passed on a private message from the King, before discussing support for survivors of sexual violence in the conflict.

Other royals have visited regions close to Ukraine during the war years, with Charles, then Prince of Wales, visiting refugees who had come across the border into Romania soon after its beginning in 2022.

Then Prince William visited British troops in Poland just over the border, but Sophie has taken the next step.

Support from the royals

The normally neutral views of the Royal Family have been replaced by a firm show of sometimes outspoken support for Ukraine, since the conflict began.

King Charles marked the second anniversary of the invasion in February of this year, by speaking of the “indescribable aggression” and slamming the “unprovoked attack” by Russia.

He spoke of the importance of supporting Ukraine, as well as mentioning the sympathies of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had symbolically appeared beside a big bowl of flowers in Ukrainian national colours, soon after the start of the war.

Moving stories of the conflict

During her trip, Sophie talked to survivors of sexual violence and torture, then heard from children who had been returned to Ukraine after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia, as part of a sustained campaign to erase Ukrainian culture.

This was followed by a trip to see the “Road to Life” bridge, a key component in the resistance movement, when it was blown up to stop Russian soldiers advancing on Kyiv, then later became a vital route for people to flee to safety from the illegal occupation.

The Duchess also demonstrated her support for Ukrainian women who have played important roles in community recovery, in a meeting with volunteers who help with mental health care activities for children.

Sophie has long been a supporter of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, together with Queen Camilla who recently spoke of the importance of “preventing the sexual violence that all too often takes place in war zones.”

Regular visitor to troubled locations

This visit can be added to a growing list of places she has visited which are particularly unusual for members of the royal family.

Last year she became the first royal to visit Baghdad in Iraq, again addressing the issue of violence against women and attending events supporting better access to education for girls.

Over recent years she has also been to other troubled spots in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, highlighting the impact of historical and ongoing conflict.