The Duchess paid her respects to those who died in the city of Bucha during the Russian occupation.
During the visit, Sophie spoke with survivors of sexual violence and torture. She also heard from children who were returned to Ukraine after being forcibly separated from their families, and visited a bridge that was blown up to stop Russian troops from advancing on Kyiv.
As noted, before Sophie’s visit, no member of the royal family had ever visited Ukraine during the war. This unexpected visit is a symbolic message of royal support for Ukraine. Shortly after the start of the war in 2022, the then Prince of Wales, Charles, visited Ukrainian refugees who had crossed the border into Romania.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is married to Prince Edward, the youngest brother of King Charles III. She is a supporter of the “Prevention of Sexual Violence in Wars” initiative.
Last year, she became the first representative of the royal family to visit the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. She also visited Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
