Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Wire via ZUMA Press
Sophie, Countess of Wessexis making a historic visit for a critical cause.
Queen Elizabeth’s daughter-in-law, 57, stepped out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Monday, becoming the first member of the British royal family to ever visit the African country.
“Her Royal Highness' visit will focus on addressing the devastating impact of sexual and gender-based violence in conflict, while supporting and empowering survivors and tackling the stigma they face,” the palace said in a statement.
Sophie’s trip has been planned for “many months” and comes ahead of the International Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference in London in November, which she’ll also attend. Uniting foreign officials, international groups, faith communities and survivors of sexual violence, the meeting will aim to “step up global action on tackling conflict-related sexual violence,” the palace said.
Jane Barlow/PA Wire via ZUMA Press
In a 2020report, Doctors Without Borders said it gave care to over 10,000 survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that year; 19% of the people were under age 18.
Jane Barlow/PA Wire via ZUMA
Sophie also spent time with representatives from the Pole Pole Foundation, an NGO dedicated to protecting the critically endangered Eastern Lowland Gorillas of Kahuzi-Biega National Park. There, Sophie spoke with Pole Pole founder John Kahekwa Munihuzi, accepted handmade gifts and even received a Congolese name,PAreported.
In national tradition, the royal was given the name “Umoja Mama Louise” — Umoja meaning “unity” in Swahili and “Mama” preceding the name of her eldest child, Louise. A mom of two, Sophie shares daughterLady Louise Windsor, 18, and sonJames, Viscount Severn, 14, with her husbandPrince Edward.
Sophie’s visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is part of the wider return to royal duties following the funeral services ofQueen Elizabethon Sept. 19 and the following mourning period. A guest who attended the state funeral at Westminster Abbey told PEOPLE that Sophie hadremarkable resolveat the service for her mother-in-law.
“The Countess of Wessex was incredible. I saw her putting her arm around three or four people,” lawyer Pranav Bhanot said. “It felt like she was really the glue keeping everyone quite strong today.”
Recalling that he saw Sophie comfort everyone from the presiding bishops toKate Middleton, the guest said that the royal stayed strong for those around her.
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“From where I was I got the sense that… sometimes you have that one strong person in a family who’s kind of keeping everyone together. To me, it seemed like Sophie was that person today,” he added. “It was something that really stood out because it seemed that she really was very strong.”
source: people.com
