From Poppies to Passport Stamps, Duchess Sophie Embarks on Royal Assignment in Bangladesh
Duchess Sophie’s ongoing trip to Bangladesh will strengthen the ties between the two countries.
From her warm and caring presence at the national commemorations at the Cenotaph in central London for Remembrance Sunday to her graceful and regal demeanor during international tours and state visits, Duchess Sophie has, time and again, given every royal watcher a glimpse of her increasingly prominent role within the royal family. She officially kicked off her visit to Bangladesh today, only a day after attending yesterday's ceremony. The Duchess of Edinburgh is visiting the country from 9th to 11th November.
The purpose of this visit is to strengthen and build upon the ties between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh. Beyond this, Sophie plans to visit the Rohingya community to oversee the support being provided to them. This morning, the Duchess touched down at the Crowne Plaza Dhaka Airport, kicking off her visit by meeting with the spouse of Bangladesh's Prime Minister and the vice-president of the Surovi school, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, who officially welcomed the royal mother of two to Bangladesh. Surovi is a voluntary development organization working for underprivileged children. According to a memo released by Buckingham Palace, “Duchess Sophie is to share a discussion with the pair.”
They further added, “This will touch upon their shared interests in the welfare, protection, and empowerment of women and girls.” Following this, Sophie was taken on a tour of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations Training in Gazipur, where she met with female United Nations peacekeepers to learn more about their experiences of deployment and training in the field. According to a report by Tatler, this will be an important part of her ongoing advocacy for the increasingly important role of women in peace and security.
The Duchess also visited the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan, where she met with local hockey players for an engaging conversation about their experiences with professional sports. Sophie also learned about the role sports can play in empowering women and girls on a grand scale. As a major hockey fan, Sophie surely enjoyed this particular engagement. Later in the trip, she is also set to visit Cox's Bazar to learn more about the behind-the-scenes efforts supporting Rohingya refugees.
