Duchess Sophie was all smiles today as she stepped out to watch a live firing exercise. The Duchess of Edinburgh, 60, made a solo visit to Warcop Training Centre in Cumbria to visit The Queen’s Own Yeomanry as part of her role as Royal Honorary Colonel.
During the visit on Monday, the duchess wore combat army clothing, ear protectors and protective glasses. Sophie also sported a high neck grey jumper and sand-coloured jeans under army combat clothing. While some royal fans may be surprised to see the duchess in this environment, it is not the first time Sophie has visited British troops.
Last year, the Duchess of Edinburgh visited British Army Reservists during a major Army exercise in northern Germany.
In her role as Royal Colonel of the Queen’s Own Yeomanry (QOY), Sophie spent her first visit to the Regiment in the field by watching and observing.
Speaking to the troops on this previous visit, the Duchess told them: “The fact that you’ve been given the opportunity to prove that we’ve got an extremely capable and reliable reserve force is very exciting.
“From what I’ve seen, the atmosphere is really positive and upbeat, and everyone is getting a huge amount out of it. I wish you all the best for a successful exercise.”
Sophie also spent time learning about the work of the Queen’s Own Yeomanry, with its role involving operating in front of other friendly forces to gather intelligence on the enemy and the environment.
The regiment use high-tech weaponry, thermal imaging equipment, and the latest digital battlefield communications systems to undertake these job roles.