The Duchess of Edinburgh has proved herself time and again to be an engaging and empathetic senior member of the Royal Family. She has steadily risen through the ranks and has become well-renowned for her work in gender equality and raising awareness for the prevention of sexual violence in conflict zones.
Another area, however, where she has built up an impressive expertise is in her work around avoidable blindness. Much like how the Prince of Wales is celebrated for his work on homelessness or the Princess of Wales is praised for her focus on early years development, the Duchess has become an authoritative voice on the subject.
And, following a recent appearance, an insider has explained exactly why the Duchess’s passion shows the public one thing.
As she attended an Orbis Visionaries reception at Battersea Power Station on Tuesday, May 20, the Duchess’s expertise on the vital understanding needed around eye conditions was on full display as she took part in a panel alongside experts from around the world.
And it wasn’t just those in the audience who were impressed.
Speaking exclusively to the Express, Orbis’s UK Chairman, Nick Fox, was full of praise for the Duchess and the role she plays as the Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, which has seen her visit Orbis programmes in India, Bangladesh and Ethiopia.
He said: “Her support is meaningful. It is not, in any way, wallpaper. She knows what she’s talking about. She’s travelled on the plane [Orbis’s Flying Eye Hospital], she’s been in the field. She’s seen the successes and the failures.
“She’s seen what difference it is that we can make. And we at Orbis and I myself are extremely thankful for the time that she gives in our incredibly busy schedule. It really makes a difference.”
Raising awareness around avoidable blindness was a passion she also shared with her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II. Back in 2019, the late monarch and the Duchess teamed up at a reception for the Diamond Jubilee Trust, who had a five-year mission to curb avoidable blindness and empower a new generation of young leaders.
In the past nine years, the Trust has helped more than 22 million people receive vital antibiotics to combat trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, and supported Malawi and Vanuatu in removing the risk of the disease.
While the Duchess has travelled to many countries around the world to learn more about what help is needed, she revealed her hopes and plans for what the charity can achieve by 2030 during her appearance on Tuesday.
Asked what her wish is by panel host, broadcaster Helen Fospero, Sophie replied: “That people put eyes at the forefront rather than as an afterthought, because for so many years they’ve not been taken as seriously as they need to be. And, as has been well explained, it’s an imperative and shouldn’t be thought of as anything other.
“It is life-changing. I’ve made many speeches over the years where I’ve been in the room with people who are doing all sorts of amazing things in saving lives. Well, actually, losing your sight costs lives, and I don’t think that can be underestimated. So I would like to think that sight is seen as a primary objective of care rather than an afterthought.”
