Putting her best foot forward last week Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh again showed why she is such an asset to King Charles’ line-up of senior royals.
Shining a spotlight on one of her key charitable interests – helping those with disabilities – the 58-year-old duchess visited Christopher’s, a Shooting Star Children’s Hospice in Guildford, Surrey.
Elegantly dressed in a white frock and navy blazer, the duchess was seen smiling and laughing with young patients, taking part in arts and crafts activities, planting a tree in the grounds – and getting a kiss from an enthusiastic therapy dog.
With her strong interest in helping people with disabilities, the mother-of-two has championed Shooting Star Children’s Hospices for many years. In 2002 she opened its Guildford hospice and has since visited regularly and supported its major fundraising efforts.
The charity supports more than 700 children and young people with life-limiting conditions – and their families – in Surrey and 14 areas of London, and has many celebrities among its patrons, including Simon Cowell and Dame Joan Collins.
The duchess is also a global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and is an advocate for gender equality.
The public’s recognition of Sophie, who has been dubbed King Charles’ secret weapon, has been increasing recently.
Speaking to OK! about the duchess’s position within the royal family, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said, “It is so much more evident now that Sophie is a key member of the list of working royals.
“I think people have really taken her into their hearts, especially after she showed her obvious grief at losing Prince Philip and the Queen.
"Her evident closeness with them was so much more than a bond – it looked like a deep affection for her in-laws. And she was a huge support to the late Queen after Philip’s death, popping round and watching movies with her, riding with her.
“She has a common touch – perhaps because she lived a normal life before marrying Prince Edward. She connects with the people she meets and looks as if she really wants to chat. Sophie is absolutely one of the new female stars of the show – elegant, engaging and empathetic.”
Later in the week, the NSPCC patron visited Brixton’s Richard Atkins Primary School to help mark the charity’s Childhood Day, and Guildford’s Artventure Trust, a creative day centre for adults with learning disabilities, physical impairments and autism.
She also joined her husband at the opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Wood at the Royal Ascot Golf Club in Berkshire.
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