Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has won praise from royal fans for ably stepping up her duties in the absence of King Charles.
Speaking at the Restoration of the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Survivors’ Rights Conference in Ukraine, the 59-year-old Duchess, shared the King’s admiration for the “heroism” of the Ukrainian population amid the horrific war being waged against them by Russia.
Addressing the subject of sexual violence during war, the royal mother-of-two said: “The scale of the challenge that conflict-related sexual violence presents around the world, from Myanmar to Ethiopia, from Colombia to Sudan, the current crisis in the Middle East to Ukraine, both from past and present conflicts, is enormous. Sadly, the landscape seems to be getting worse.
“In Ukraine, female and male survivors have bravely recounted their experiences of the most appalling atrocities they have endured, since the start of the war in 2022.
“This conference is an important opportunity to ensure that those survivors are not forgotten, to shine a spotlight on their bravery and the need to ensure justice and accountability are upheld.”
The Duchess was unambiguous in her language, candidly remarking that conflict-related sexual violence is “pure evil”.
She said: “Rape requires no training, no armoury, no financial backing, but is as devastating as bullets and bombs not only in the immediacy of the attacks but for the rest of the victim’s and their family’s lives.
“And let’s be clear it is illegal, in fact it is pure evil. Conflict-related sexual violence must end now.”
Duchess Sophie was invited to speak at the conference by Ukrainian First Lady Mrs Olena Zelenska, the wife of Volodymyr Zelensky. The First Lady recently returned home from meeting the Queen at Clarence House, as Putin’s war passed its two-year anniversary.
While the King undergoes treatment for a form of cancer, the Queen has been dubbed the monarchy’s “saviour” for her role carrying out royal duties. However, following her show-stopping speech in eastern Europe, Duchess Sophie has been lauded.
Royal fans flocked to social media to express their gratitude to the Duchess for her work. One wrote: “The Duchess of Edinburgh does fantastic work with the Preventing Sexual Violence in conflict UN initiative”.
Another said: “I love Duchess Sophie. Well said, your highness.”
While a third chimed in, echoing the tone, saying: “Thank you, Ma’am. Thank you for all the effort and support to the survivors and for spreading awareness on this matter.”
