The Duchess of Edinburgh, who is undertaking a diplomatic mission to Zambia, highlighted an important issue that young children are facing.
Sophie, also dubbed as the ‘secret weapon’ for King Charles’s monarchy, stepped out in Lusaka in her role as Global Ambassador.
She joined the charity organisations, government leaders, healthcare professionals and international partners to shine a spotlight on the international fight against avoidable sight loss.
“If a child can’t see, they drop out of school. If they can’t see, their life chances are drastically reduced,” Sophie highlighted. “If somebody can’t see in the home place, they can’t sustain themselves, their families.”
The royal has been working with charities Orbis and Sightsavers for years and believes these efforts should be expanded in underserved communities around the world.
She continued, “I used to say that actually eye health was life-threatening. I still believe it is. I’ve met people who live on the streets because they cannot live with their families anymore because they feel that they’re a burden. And so, they leave and take themselves away. So, I place it at a high priority; eye care for all.”
The charity expressed that they were “incredibly grateful for The Duchess’s continued support of global eye health”.
They noted that “Orbis has been honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness to programmes in India, Bangladesh and Ethiopia, where she has seen firsthand the life-changing impact of quality eye care”.
2026-09-15 14:31:00
