The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, visited the Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN) in Canterbury on Wednesday to show her support for unaccompanied young refugees and asylum seekers aged between 16 and 24. KRAN provides advocacy, support, and skills training to help refugees adapt to life in the UK and succeed in college.
During her visit, Sophie met with staff at the centre to hear about their work and even led a class on family trees. She drew a partial family tree of the Royal Family, featuring the late Queen in the centre with arrows leading off to King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and her own husband, Prince Edward. The drawing of King Charles also led to a small one of Prince William, as she explained how the heirs system worked.
Sophie looked super stylish for her outing, wearing a smart pink blazer with a white shirt, black trousers, and grey heels. The Duchess of Edinburgh is known for her regular visits to schools, hospitals, charities, and other organizations to highlight their hard work and dedication to making a difference in the world. She has 70 patronages that reflect her wide range of interests, including charities that focus on blindness and other disabilities, gender equality, and children.
Earlier in the month, Sophie attended the learning disability charity Mencap’s inaugural health inequalities summit at St Bartholomew’s Hospital to learn more about the healthcare inequalities faced by people with a learning disability. The Duchess has been the charity’s royal patron for nearly 20 years and even ran a virtual marathon for them back in 2020.
Health leaders and campaigners came together at the summit to talk about life expectancy, avoidable deaths, and other barriers that people with a learning disability face when accessing healthcare. Sophie heard from NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard, Mencap Chair Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, and campaigners like Cath Horbury who spoke about the benefits of annual health checks.
Overall, Sophie’s visit to KRAN and her attendance at the Mencap summit highlights her commitment to supporting causes that make a positive impact on people’s lives. Her ongoing work with charities and organizations across the UK shows her dedication to making a difference and her willingness to use her platform to help those in need.
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