Duchess Sophie Gives a Powerful Speech in Portugal— and It May Sting for Andrew Back Home
Addressing the Model NATO conference in Lisbon, Duchess Sophie called s----- violence in conflict a 'scourge on the world.'
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing.
Duchess Sophie stood in solidarity with victims of abuse as she delivered a powerful speech to students in Portugal on June 2. Addressing the Model NATO conference in Lisbon, she recalled witnessing women receive threats of r--- simply for trying to promote peace in their communities. Her hard-hitting warning that s----- violence remains a 'scourge on the world' is likely to strike a nerve with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose association with a string of shameful abuse allegations continues to cast a shadow over the monarchy.
Sophie, who is a longtime supporter of the United Nations' Women, Peace and Security agenda, spoke about her meeting with women from the Democratic Republic of Congo who received threats of abuse for attempting to resolve conflict. She said, "There are many countries in conflict now where the violence is endemic, and also the reality is s----- violence - violence against women and girls - is something that even after conflict, it's changing societies. It is something that, unfortunately, I see no end of .. even countries that are post-conflict, the violence that is carrying on. It is not acceptable." Watch the video here!
When asked by one of the students how the women's voices could be amplified, the Duchess replied, "I use my voice... I can be their voice in various different forums, in various different settings...You can use your voices and immediately play a part as well." Her compelling speech would certainly be a hard read for Mountbatten-Windsor, who has been exiled from the royal family after his controversial ties to Jeffrey Epstein were first exposed by his accuser, Virginia Giuffre. In 2015, court filings from Guiffre alleged that she had been trafficked to the former Prince for indecent relations by Epstein when she was underage. In 2022, the case was settled out of court, with Mountbatten-Windsor admitting liability. After more allegations of abuse surfaced, he was stripped of his titles and asked to vacate his royal residence.
It's not just Sophie; even her husband, Prince Edward, has publicly stood with victims of s----- abuse. Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on February 3, he addressed his disgraced brother's misconduct allegations with restraint. As per the Independent, he told CNN journalist Eleni Giokos, "I think it’s all really important always to remember the victims, and who are the victims in all this, a lot of victims in all this." His comments made him the first senior royal to acknowledge the issue publicly.
If you are being subjected to sexual assault or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)
