The Duchess of Edinburgh visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office from Monday, 29 September to Thursday, 2 October. During the visit, the Duchess travelled to the northeastern city of Beni in the province of North Kivu, where she met UN peacekeepers — the ‘blue helmets’ — from around the world, including the UK, at the Joint Force Headquarters of MONUSCO.
The Duchess also visited the Virunga Origins Café, an official partner of Virunga National Park — Africa’s oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, the Duchess learned how the National Park provides jobs, promotes women’s leadership, generates clean energy, and protects this uniquely biodiverse landscape and the communities who live there. The park is now the largest employer in the province of North Kivu.
The Duchess of Edinburgh also met women and girls affected by conflict and displacement at the UK-supported Women’s Safe Space — an initiative in Beni that offers psychosocial support and livelihood training.
Following the visit to Beni, the Duchess travelled to the capital, Kinshasa, where she was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner. The Duchess later met the President of the DRC, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo.
In Kinshasa, the Duchess visited the Panzi Clinic and met Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Denis Mukwege, renowned for his work supporting survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. The Panzi Clinic is a one-stop centre that provides survivors of sexual violence with holistic care — including medical, psychosocial, legal, and socioeconomic support.
Afterwards, the Duchess visited a safe house supporting survivors of a mass rape that occurred during a mass escape attempt from Kinshasa’s Makala Central Prison in September 2024, during which hundreds of women detainees were assaulted by thousands of men.
On the final day of her visit, the Duchess of Edinburgh travelled to Kintambo General Hospital in Kinshasa. Alongside the first female Prime Minister of the DRC, Judith Suminwa, and the Minister for Health, Dr Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba, the Duchess met patients, clinicians, and members of civil society to better understand the measures being implemented to strengthen the national health system.
I can’t believe Sophie is 60, she looks great for it. What an asset this lady has turned out to be to the British Royal family!
ردحذفI like the third look with the white blouse and half up/half down hairstyle - the whole look is fresh and youthful. JJ
Love the Max Mara dress ♥️
ردحذفShe is amazing!!
ردحذفIf I say something to each and every outfit, that will be not good, too negative. I'll make it positive: relative to the teal Max Mara, almost everything is better than that, but I have to admit: nothing is really good. - Can someone tell me why she puts her hand on the shoulder of two different men? It is sure not condescending, because she is not the type for that. I have the uneasy feeling that she should not do that, it is kind of too intimate when no other convincing reason is visible.
ردحذف.
Very interesting, for my the gesture express warmth, camadery, empathie, recognition, so many positive thoughts come to mind, now as went she does it, i dont know, but si interesting how from over picture we can have so very different reactions.
حذفAs about her fashion, very true to herself, no wows, no surprises. And indeed looking very good for her age.
Luna
Hi 22:58, when you ask why she touches people in the photos… I think it’s simply her way with people / combined with you studying every detail of photos which represent a micro second of her day. She’s practiced now in going into other cultures as an official representative and I’m sure we can trust her in how she does that. She has advisors with her and will be well advised per culture. I find her full of heart, and having listened to several speeches of Sophie’s on very difficult topics, a very compassionate and hard working lady.
حذفI really like the teal Max Mara for her purposes; it’s simple and enough. She wore it on a visit to a centre for victims of sexual violence, so once again with Sophie, the focus is put on the people she goes to visit not her outfits. I do like the array of clothes we see on this journey of hers, but more than that, reading the details of the visits, I don’t really mind what she wears, as she’s there for the projects and not the fashion.
حذف@Luna: I simply cannot write "never mind her fashion choices, because she is so nice", because this is a fashion blog. Of course she is a marvellous person, her face, her smile, her interactions, everything on the highest level of loveability, so to speak. But we talk fashion here and that she is such a n extremely nice person, makes her suboptimal the more regrettable (for me, of course).
حذفIt’s a fashion blog, sure. But they doesn’t give us any more right to ignore context and criticise hard workers who have their focus on their meetings, never imagining there’d be an international group here critiquing them. We should always keep in mind the context and the potential hurt feelings of those we choose to critique.
حذفSuch nonsense, the comment on the touching of the dr. shoulder. It’s clearly a sign of respect, friendship…
حذفInteresting perspective that Sophie should not physically touch a man's shoulder, or there has to be a specific reason why she did. I find her gracious, never puts a wrong foot forward. Since a photo is just one second in the life of everyone, there must have been, don't you agree, a reason for the exchange, Sophie obviously knows the gentlemen and feels comfortable with the type of interaction of putting her hand on their shoulder.
حذفIf pants have belt loops wear a belt, it finishes the look, and can make all the difference.
ردحذفIt can be nice, but in the tropics and heat outside, phewwww... less is definitely more!
حذفAnon 13:42, a belt does not mean it will make the outfit hot.
حذفYeah actually, a belt adds heat in the tropics. I cannot bear it.
حذفThis whole grouping is disappointing. The Max Mara jacket is by far the best and only piece of clothing I truly like. It's classy. Neither pair of espadrilles are flattering or add any sense of fashion.
ردحذفShe’s certainly not there to be classy nor to have fashion sense. Read about DRC then about the projects she’s visiting, then check the photos again …
حذفOops Virginia, did you forget to check the context of the visit ? That will help reassess the clothing choices.
حذفHmmm... but look at the context, and I don't think it's anything to be disappointed about. Sophie's doing a marvellous job and looking bright and respectful and that's just perfect.
حذفSophie's clothing is spot on for the climate, the occasion, and for those she is meeting, and interacting with. Well done Sophie!
حذفEach and every outfit looks wonderful both smart , stylish and comfortable for the warmer weather. She does such marvelous work, its incredible the places she travels to mostly under the radar with little to no fanfare, important and trips of substance. Her visit to the Safe House for Women, wonderful, and what a difference I am sure her visit made to the ladies and workers of the house. Well done Ma'am well done. What an inspiration she is.
ردحذفBusy lady. Today's fashions are not overly great. Do like the Max Mara dress considering she will be always on the go. Always nice to see her.
ردحذفcss
My favourite outfit is the green shirt blouse and green trousers in the first three photos. These photos with the outfit show a different and very appealing relaxed and casual side of Sophie that we rarely see. She is not covered in layers of jackets or coats, just a cotton or linen blouse that she wears with a wide open neck. She looks great, and is in fine form.
ردحذفMy next favourite is the Erdem dress, because it is light (both in colour and fabric), fits her well, and is slightly shorter than the other dresses and she kept it that way.
- Anon 9:13
A belt would of made the first outfit perfect.
حذفVery impressive, this visit of Duchess Sophie. Everyone seems pleased with her attention and she looks good in every outfit.
ردحذفÀ round of applause for her !!
We don't know the context in which Sophie puts her hand on the men's shoulders. Personally, I don't know enough about the Congolese culture. That's why it's difficult to make sweeping judgements. But when I analyse the reaction and the mood, I see a woman who is listening with great empathy and interest. She radiates warmth and respect. And I sense an environment that is enjoying this moment. Of course, there are situations where the outfit is not the main focus. I imagine it is challenging to find clothing suitable for temperatures around 30 degrees that allows for interaction and is also culturally appropriate. I think the Duchess does a good job, even if not every outfit suits her equally well. To me, Sophie is a wonderful ambassador!
ردحذفWell, mine was not a sweeping comment, just a question. Touching people is well-known in the context of royal visits, many royals hug children and also adults, but the latter mainly in the context of more overwhelming emotions. In this case, both were support persons, not victims or sufferers, so the placement of her hand on their shoulder seemed very uncommon to me *in this context*. I am not attacking Sophie, just noticing and asking. Also no need to defend fashion choices with the climate, her choices are not explainable with the climate. - The main focus of these visits is *never* fashion, but the blog's focus here *is* very much the fashion aspect, no need to explain away clothing choices with whatever focus the visit has.
حذفAnon 11:05 Your comment was not "just a question." Anyone reading it can see you do not like her fashion choices "nothing is really good" and you do not think she should be touching a man "I have the uneasy feeling she should not do that." This website is entitled "New My Royals." The word "fashion" is nowhere in it. It has become far much more than fashion. So, yes the focus of visits is very much talked about often. Every working British royal has a team that helps them get ready for trips and informs them of local customs. WIth Sophie's years of experience and the propriety she has shown, I find it shocking that you even brought it up. You also have no knowledge of the relationship or past experiences she has had with these individuals.
حذفCongolese people are open, nice and wordly people. I’m sure the doctor understands and appreciates this gesture. Don’t question everything…
حذفBeautiful Outfits and appearance. Fits her well and obviously make her feel good.
ردحذفI really like her Max Mara jacket and it fits her perfectly. I also like the black and white dress and the white blouse makes her look absolutely stunning. I don't like the first dress (Lexy London), but the words of one commentator - that her fashion is "the more regrettable" are exaggerated.
ردحذفShe is a beautiful lady - already sixty years old. I think she is the prototype of the ideal royal bride: dignified and quiet charity work, loyalty, ability to learn from mistakes early in her career, patience, no drama, no whining.
Stephanie
She is very clever and a good looking person. She does a serious job for her country!
ردحذفAll the outfits are nice, as someone above has said, true to herself. Everything fits, and if you want your legs covered these dresses are perfect. I do like the shoes with the pink dress, maybe not together but the shoes are nice.
ردحذفThis was quite the visit. I read she was only 20mins from the war zone. She needed a 15 man security detail. I find it admirable that she went to the area and highlighted the cause.
ردحذفFashion wise absolutely nothing is flattering. I don’t understand the heavy blue jacket over such a delicate dress. The tie waist does nothing for her. The longer length makes her look heavier and figure less than she actually is. The most flattering look was her jungle attire.
It’s shame to see her spend so much on garments that have the most unflattering appearance.
Lowri.
I think her clothing is appropriate for this visit and climat. The only thing are her shoes. There are comfortable shoes that do look good. But I guess, nobody there cared about them.
ردحذفSophie looks lovely in all of her outfits--and each was well thought out for the heat and humidity of a tropical climate along with cultural appropriateness. My only complaint is the clunky, chunky pair of white espadrilles she chose to wear. I have never liked them and tend to find they look even worse when she pairs them with a dress. She did bring her other pair of espadrilles (in a sort of beige/khaki color--she has paired them with teal dress) and I love those. Other than my issue with a shoe choice I think she's picked a group of pretty outfits for this trip.
ردحذفJanet
J'aime beaucoup le style et la couleur turquoise de la robe MaxMara !
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