The first member of the British royal family to visit Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the nation in February 2022 was Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh. The youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II, Sophie is the wife of Prince Edward and the brother of King Charles III.

During the visit on Monday, the Duchess had meetings with First Lady Olena Zelenska and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. In order to “demonstrate solidarity with the women, men, and children impacted by the war,” she went around Bucharest.

She placed flowers at a memorial site honoring nearly 400 victims of the Russian occupation in Bucharest while she was there. In a scene evoking “a horror movie,” Ukrainian officials charged departing Russian servicemen in April 2022 of committing war crimes. Zelenska also spoke with victims of torture and sexual assault.

Since committing to the UK’s Preventing Sexual abuse in Conflict Initiative in 2019, Sophie has been devoted to advocating for the rights of victims of sexual abuse related to conflicts.

 According to the BBC, she stated, “Women and girls pay the highest price in terms of human costs,” on Monday night during a reception held at the home of the British ambassador to Ukraine. “Rape is a tool for dehumanization, degradation, and destruction.”

The royal family has been unusually vocal about their support for Ukraine; typically, they try to avoid taking a position on most political issues. 

In a statement commemorating the invasion’s second anniversary this past February, King Charles called Russia’s assault a “unprovoked attack.” The fact that the UK and its allies are still leading international efforts to aid Ukraine during this dire period of need and suffering, he said, “continues to be greatly encouraging.”

During a “personal mission” to Poland in March 2023, the Prince of Wales complimented British troops stationed close to the Ukrainian border. 

Additionally, in February, the Queen hosted First Lady Zelenska at Clarence House, where they talked about the best ways that the UK can assist Ukraine. 

Since the start of the conflict, the United Kingdom has promised to provide around £5 billion in non-military help to Ukraine, including more than £660 million in bilateral aid with a focus on women and girls.