King Charles III has hailed Duchess Sophie's efforts during her solo trip to Zambia.
The Duchess of Edinburgh has concluded her five-day visit on Saturday, September 19th, with an emotional twist.
A heartfelt nod to Zambians by Duchess Sophie
Her Royal Highness wrapped up the royal tour by joining trachoma survivors in a jubilant dance at Mukuno Rural Health Centre, situated close to the city of Livingstone.
Joining the locals, the mom of two grooved to chants as she sang, "We are happy because now we can see."
The rendition is a celebratory move to acknowledge the British Royal Family’s prominent members’ efforts in restoring their eyesight and treating this medical condition.
Trachoma is a contagious eye infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide.
Zambians have been struggling with the eye disease, and many have been saved due to Duchess Sophie’s royal visit.
One of the trachoma patients, Priscah Mwanaseluka, carrying her six-month-old infant, explained her condition, recalling, "Afterwards, I was able to get married and have two children."
"We all know what it's like just to get one eyelash in your eye, and it’s horrible," she added.
Duchess Sophie's emotional connection in preventing blindness
However, Duchess Sophie has been supporting this cause as she has firsthand experience with vision difficulties of her daughter, Lady Louis Windsor.
She has been dedicatedly combating preventable blindness through her charitable causes.
King Charles reacts to Duchess Sophie's Zambian trip
King Charles III has also highlighted Duchess Sophie’s independent week-long visit, as the Buckingham Palace aides noted, "The Duchess of Edinburgh has visited the Republic of Zambia to celebrate the relationship between Zambia and the UK."
Apart from her cause to prevent blindness, she also aims to empower women and strengthen ties between the UK and Zambia.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, began her official tour of Zambia on September 14th, 2026, which she concluded on Saturday, September 19th.
