Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, spent September 29 and 30 in The Hague at a forum focused on the people doing the daily work of peacebuilding.
The Royal Household’s Court Circular records her attendance at the International Civil Society Action Network’s Women, Peace and Security forum on both days. On September 30, she attended a session at the Peace Palace after a breakfast meeting hosted by Britain’s ambassador to the Netherlands.
Called Security Reimagined, the forum brings women peacebuilders from more than 40 countries affected by conflict or crisis together with policymakers and other international participants. ICAN says the gathering is designed to center their experience and the solutions they are already developing in their communities.
In an October 1 update, the Royal Family said Sophie met women working to advance peace and security, including participants from Afghanistan, Syria and Uganda. The Duchess is the Royal Family’s champion for Women, Peace and Security, a role that draws attention to women’s participation in peace processes and to the impact of conflict-related sexual violence.
The visit puts faces and lived experience behind a phrase that can sound abstract from afar. The official accounts confirm whom Sophie met and the purpose of the forum. They do not describe a new agreement or a specific policy outcome from her meetings.
For more on Sophie’s place in the family, explore our Who’s Who guide and interactive Royal Family Tree.
Sources: Royal Household Court Circular, September 29 and 30; International Civil Society Action Network forum information; Royal Family update, October 1.
Portrait: Sophie at a March 2025 event, not at this forum. UKinUSA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0; cropped.
