In a world where so many stories still go unheard, the Duchess of Edinburgh is making it her mission to amplify the voices that have been silenced for too long.
On a powerful visit to London’s Imperial War Museum, Sophie, 60, didn’t mince words: “We must do better.”
Her message was clear—sexual violence in conflict is still being pushed to the sidelines, and that needs to change.
The visit came just ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on June 19.
Sophie toured Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict—the first UK exhibition focused solely on this often-ignored issue—and left no doubt about how strongly she feels.
A Life of Advocacy and Listening to Survivors
Sophie isn’t new to this fight.
Over the years, she’s spoken with countless survivors from across the globe—from Kosovo and Lebanon to the Congo and South Sudan.
As the wife of Prince Edward and sister-in-law to King Charles, she’s used her royal platform to push for change, devoting much of her time to the Women, Peace and Security agenda and championing gender equality.
But even for someone deeply involved in the cause, parts of the exhibition hit hard.
At one point, she raised an eyebrow in disbelief when told that the RAF didn’t ban “nose art” (images of scantily-clad women on fighter jets) until as recently as 2007.
Her dry response: “Surprising…” said it all.
Giving Survivors the Space to Speak
Wearing a flowing pink silk maxi dress by Gabriela Hearst and Jimmy Choo heels, Sophie made it clear that this wasn’t about her.
It was about the people who had lived through the trauma.
“This is about them. Their voice matters,” she said.
She was reassured by the exhibition team that survivors had been consulted from the beginning.
Jack Davies, the exhibition manager, and curator Helen Upcraft, confirmed that their experiences were not just included—they were central.
The exhibition dives deep into the reasons sexual violence is used in war, the devastating impact it leaves behind, and the difficult road to justice and healing.
Testimonies from survivors and insights from global experts make sure the conversation stays grounded in truth.
Personal Memories from Kosovo: A Story That Stayed With Her
One moment Sophie spoke about with raw emotion was her visit to Kosovo in 2019.
There, she met a woman whose husband had reacted with empathy to the staggering statistics of wartime rape.
His compassion gave her the courage to tell him she had been one of the victims.
But the truth shattered their marriage.
That story stuck with Sophie. “This is the problem. It’s the legacy,” she said.
“Unless we as a society help, unless we say—‘this is not your shame’—we’re not fixing anything.
We have to do better.”
Wartime Atrocities That Cross Borders and Decades
The exhibition also highlighted how sexual violence isn’t just something that happens “over there.”
It’s a global issue, touching nearly every major conflict of the past century.
Sophie examined examples like the WWII “Comfort Women Corps,” ISIS’s brutal treatment of Yazidi girls, the Soviet Red Army in Berlin in 1945, and even the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib in 2004.
One display featured women forced to trade sex for food.
Sophie, visibly affected, said: “It’s a way of some people staying alive.”
Another featured disturbing drawings by Sudanese children of their mothers and grandmothers being violated.
She gasped at one in particular, showing a soldier averting his eyes in shame.
Justice Still Feels Like a Distant Goal
The Duchess didn’t shy away from the legal challenges either.
Getting justice, she noted, is still incredibly rare.
“It’s a tiny, tiny scratch on the surface,” she admitted.
“Where do you even begin? Do you prosecute a country? A leader? Of course it happens.
But it has to be recognised at the highest level.”
A Job She Hopes Won’t Be Needed Forever
As the visit drew to a close, Sophie was thanked for her tireless work.
Her response was humble but powerful: “It’s a privilege.
If we could all do ourselves out of a job…it would be great.”
Through her words, presence, and dedication, the Duchess of Edinburgh continues to challenge the silence—and push for a future where survivors are seen, heard, and never forgotten.