Sophie Wessex humbly declines title after Ukraine visit

Sophie Wessex got candid about her emotional journey she made on behalf of King Charles to Ukraine.

The Duchess of Edinburgh, who became the first royal to visit Ukraine since the Russian attack, wrote in The Sunday Times that she does not consider herself brave for visiting the European country.

“Since returning to the UK, many people have said how brave or courageous I was for going. I am neither,” she wrote in the article. “The brave people are those who have endured extreme violence and survived.”

She continued, “The courageous are those who have reported the crimes committed against them. I am glad to have made the journey. Inevitably it was sad and emotional, and the painful stories and images, as with all my visits to places of conflict, will live with me.”

In her detailed article written for the publication, Sophie shared that this was not her first time visiting a conflict zone. She noted that she travelled to countries affected by war including South Sudan, Kosovo, Iraq, Colombia, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

She “hopes” that she can help draw attention to and encourage greater support for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.