BREAKING NEWS: Duchess Sophie makes major announcement as Buckingham Palace issue statement
The Duchess of Edinburgh will have a very busy week.
Duchess Sophie is on a royal tour this week (Image: Getty)
The Duchess of Edinburgh has embarked on a very special trip this week, it has been announced. Duchess Sophie will visit the Republic of Zambia from Monday, September 14, to Friday, September 19.
Sophie’s visit aims to celebrate the relationship between Zambia and the UK, Buckingham Palace has announced. Her visit to the Southern African country comes at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. While in Zambia, Sophie will carry out a number of engagements in Lusaka, Lower Zambezi and Livingstone, which are linked to gender equality, climate and nature, and education and research partnerships, subjects the duchess is deeply passionate about.
Duchess Sophie (Image: Getty)
The Duchess of Edinburgh will also visit Community House to meet President Hichilema, and, in Livingstone, she will visit Mosi-oa-Tunya, one of the seven wonders of the natural world, where she will lay a posy at the WWI memorial.
While in the region, and in her role as Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, Sophie will also undertake engagements with the charities Orbis and Sightsavers.
One of those visits will include a trip to a health clinic in Mukuni Village, which is running a successful trachoma elimination programme.
The duchess last visited Zambia in 2014.
She was joined by Zara Tindall and Princess Beatrice with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Zara and Sophie appeared relaxed as they mingled with fellow guests, while pictures from the event showed them enjoying the atmosphere around the grounds.
