Duchess of Edinburgh Highlights Sight Loss Campaign in Zambia

The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, concluded her five-day royal tour of Zambia by visiting the Mukuni Rural Health Centre in Livingstone. On the final day of her engagements, she learned about the country's efforts to combat trachoma, a painful and potentially blinding eye disease. She was seen smiling as she arrived at the eye camp, dressed in a blue silk blouse and matching midi skirt.

Sophie, an advocate for sight loss campaigns, participated in a dance with a patient at the clinic and met with healthcare workers and community volunteers. This visit aligns with her broader work as a campaigner for blind and visually impaired individuals, a cause she has supported since her daughter Lady Louise Windsor experienced vision problems. Louise was born prematurely in 2003, leading to a condition called strabismus, or a squint, which has since been corrected.

The Duchess's Zambian visit was undertaken at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. She attended a lunch hosted by Sightsavers, an international organization collaborating with Zambia's health ministry to reduce the impact of trachoma, which is a leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide.

Later in the day, the Duchess was scheduled to visit the Libuyu Secondary School for a Women's Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) 'Wellness Day,' a program funded by the British government aimed at improving access to sexual health information and services for marginalized communities. Her tour concluded with a visit to the Wayi Wayi Art Centre in Livingstone, where she met artists addressing gender-related social issues and observed a traditional Bemba tribe marriage ritual.

Earlier in the week, Sophie visited Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ), an organization focused on anti-poaching efforts and wildlife protection. She toured their educational facilities and learned about their canine detection unit for illegal wildlife products. The Duchess also met with members of Zambia's first all-women ranger unit.

The tour began with a minor delay, as Sophie's luggage was lost, forcing her to wear 'aeroplane clothes' for her initial engagements. During her visit to Lusaka, she attended a reception celebrating educational opportunities and presented the President of Zambia with honey from the royal family's estates. She also met with artists and survivors of gender-based violence and discussed resilience and empowerment with Zambian women business leaders.