Duchess Sophie looks effortlessly chic at Windsor Horse Show a day after Ukraine visit
The Duchess of Edinburgh became the first royal to visit Ukraine since war broke out with Russia.
Duchess Sophie has visited the Windsor Horse Show just one day after returning to the UK after her historic trip to Ukraine.
Sophie, 59, looked effortlessly chic as she stepped out this afternoon (Wednesday, May 1) wearing a smart tweed blazer and navy blue dress.
She made history this week as the first royal to return to Ukraine for the first time since before the war with Russia broke out, where she met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska.
A fierce advocate in the fight against conflict-base sexual violence, Sophie condemned Putin's soldiers for their use of sexual violence as a weapon.
However she was all smiles again today as she wasted no time in stepping back out at the horse show, a regular fixture in the royal calendar.
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While in Ukraine Sophie passed on a message to the President and First Lady from King Charles, who has made a return to public duties since his cancer diagnosis.
However it is still not yet known when the King will be able to travel abroad, with a potential visit to Samoa, Australia and New Zealand planned for later this autumn.
Sophie's work championing women's rights and safety from sexual violence has taken her all around the world, from Kosovo to Sierra Leone to Colombia.
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The Duchess also took a swipe at Russian leader Vladimir Putin during her speech at an evening reception hosted by Martin Harris, the UK ambassador to Ukraine.
She said: "Rape is used to demean, to degrade and to destroy. And we have to get better at trying to prevent that from happening. Where we cannot prevent it from happening, what we must do is put measures in place to support those who have fallen victim to such crimes."
Sophie also thanked victims for being so open with their stories, adding: "I thank them for that honesty in telling me what happened to them. Their stories are sad. I hear many stories like this, sadly, from around the world. But I appreciate their time and their openness."
The King has also been vocal in his support for the Ukrainian people, speaking back in February of the "indescribable aggression" facing the country since the conflict began two years ago.
In March last year Prince William paid a visit to the Polish/Ukrainian border, where he met with refugees and troops stationed at a secret military base, thanking them for "defending our freedoms".
Earlier this year Queen Camilla also welcomed First Lady Olena Zelenska to Clarence House during her official visit to the UK in February, where they enjoyed a long conversation together in the Garden Room.