Sophie, Countess Of Wessex Becomes First British Royal To Visit War-Torn Country For Advocacy Work

Oct 10, 2022 by apost team

Weeks after the official mourning period in Britain had passed because of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, officially returned to work on Oct. 3, 2022. And her first order of business was to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Sophie made history on behalf of the British royal family as she became the first British royal to visit the second-largest country in Africa for a work-related trip connected to her advocacies and office missions. 

Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones was born in Oxford, England, on Jan. 20, 1965. After she trained as a secretary, she began working in public relations before she eventually started her own agency named RJH Public Relations in 1996.

It was during a period when she worked at Capital Radio that Sophie met Prince Edward in 1987. However, the two didn't begin dating until 1993. Then in 1999, after dating for a number of years, the couple got married on June 19, 1999, at St. George’s Chapel, the site of many royal weddings and funerals, including Prince Philip's. As a present from the queen for their wedding, Edward was given the title Earl of Wessex, which made Sophie the Countess of Wessex.

After marrying Prince Edward, Sophie was under the critical eye of the British press but always received help from the crown. According to Harper's Bazaar, Sophie was known as one of the queen's most trusted in-laws. Both she and Edward have taken on roles as senior working members of the royal family. 

Besides the couple's royal duties, Edward and Sophie are a philanthropic couple. They established the Wessex Youth Trust after their wedding. Through the Trust, the couple helps and supports different charities working with disadvantaged children. In 2019, they renamed the trust The Earl and Countess of Wessex Charitable Trust after 21 years of successful charity work. 

Unbeknownst to many, Sophie has been a huge advocate for women's empowerment against violence in underprivileged communities. These were among her most committed advocacies, next to avoidable blindness, agriculture and fashion, among many others. 

A 2020 Town & Country article even described the Countess of Wessex to be the British Royal Family’s “secret weapon” after underscoring her commitment to protecting women and championing equality. The media attention has focused on Sophie after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped away from their positions and responsibilities as members of the British Royal Family. 

During International Women’s Day in 2019, Sophie had everyone’s eyes on her as she made a bold pledge at Buckingham Palace and stated her deeply-rooted advocacy for women. 

“As someone who firmly believes in the equality of men and women, I feel drawn to your cause and to do what I can to help raise further awareness,” Sophie said in a statement. She then promised to help survivors of sexual violence and championed the International Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Three years since her pledge, Sophie has already visited a lot of countries, including Lebanon, India, Kenya, Kosovo, Sierra Leonne and South Sudan. Many others have testified about Sophie’s mission and advocacy for women's empowerment and praised her for her subtle yet impactful efforts. 

“She actually presents herself as an ordinary person, and I think that is increasingly what the royal family needs to do,” 100 Women in Finance CEO Amanda Pullinger said. 

In her landmark visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sophie has continued to carry out her commitment to the cause.  

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According to an official press release, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, had engagements in Kivu, one of the largest regions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

In her reception, she met with Governor Théo Ngwabidje, along with other representatives from TRIAL International, a non-governmental organization that is dedicated to supporting survivors of conflict-related violence and human rights violations as they seek justice.

Apart from meeting TRIAL International, Sophie visited and had a dialogue with people who were close to her heart because of her advocacy — survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. 

On her most recent trip, the countess had also attended engagements with other organizations wherein she discussed more of her advocacies for women and combatting gender-based violence. Because of her very meaningful visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sophie was even given her own Congolese name, Umoja Mama Louise, which partly means “unity” in Swahili.

Back in 2021, Sophie also spoke about her advocacy work on BBC Radio 5, where she recalled a particular encounter that she had with a 70-year-old woman who was a victim of sexual violence during warfare. Sophie described the story as “upsetting” and said it brought her to tears. She added that the woman's story lives with her still, and that "every story" she has heard has made an impact on her.

Previously, Queen Elizabeth II had visited Africa numerous times, but not the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the BBC, the late queen had visited South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and even Ethiopia, among many other countries, but not the DRC. 

What do you think of Sophie, the Countess of Wessex? Do you believe that her history-setting trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo is important? Make sure to let your family and friends know about this, and let us know what they think too.

If you or anybody you know is affected by sexual violence, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). The Hotline provides 24/7, confidential support for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.