Sophie’s surprise visit to Northern Ireland was her first solo
visit to the region in nearly a decade, and she jam-packed her day
full of engagements to greet her patronages and members of the
public.
The
Duchess of Edinburgh officially opened the Randalstown location
of the National Autistic Society and met with families who will be
supported by the space. The National Autistic Society Northern
Ireland posted on their Facebook page about their delight in having
Sophie open the new Randalstown location and called it “an
amazing day filled with inspiration, admiration and
support.”
Sophie then
visited with women who have completed the Women in Leadership
Programme at the Randalstown Library. The Antrim and Newtownabbey
Borough Council shared details on their website
about the programme, which was launched in memory of the late
Queen
Elizabeth II in 2024.
Leadership graduates at Randalstown Library RoyalFamily / X / Fair
Use
Women in the borough sign up to learn confidence and leadership
skills and to network for opportunities. Councillor Leah
Kirkpatrick said in a statement, “It was an honour to welcome
The Duchess of Edinburgh to the Women in Leadership Graduation. It
was particularly fitting as the programme forms part of a series of
legacy projects established in honour of Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II, a woman whose life of service, resilience, and quiet
leadership continues to inspire generations.”
Afterwards, Sophie stayed at the library and met with its
leadership team and the members of its reading group, as well as
members of Tidy Randalstown who work to help maintain the
borough.
Sophie’s final engagement saw her dropping in to the Bloomfield
Walkways Community Centre in Belfast to learn about their
programming and to meet with Guide Dogs, which is marking 40 years
of work in Northern Ireland. During the visit, Sophie met Luna and
Biscuit, and presented Judith Martin with a volunteer certificate
for being the Association’s 1000th volunteer in Northern
Ireland.
Sophie’s visit to Northern Ireland comes on the heels of a visit of Somalia and Kenya late
last month at the request of the government.
