Duchess Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, has been entrusted with another key responsibility by King Charles, highlighting her growing influence within the royal family.
Royal expert Matt Wilkinson revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Sophie will travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina next week to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. As part of her official duties, the Duchess will read a personal message from King Charles at the ceremony and meet with relatives of some of the more than 8,000 victims of the 1995 massacre.
Wilkinson, in his report for The Sun, noted that Duchess Sophie, 60, is now stepping into a more prominent public role within the monarchy. According to royal insiders, she is keen to help ease the workload on King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, particularly as health concerns and family responsibilities weigh on the senior royals.
Sophie has recently been seen strengthening royal bonds — sharing laughs with Prince William at the Royal Cornwall Show and appearing side-by-side with Princess Kate at the Garter Day procession in Windsor.
Often regarded as the royal family's “secret weapon”, Sophie is widely respected for her discretion, diplomacy, and ability to maintain peace behind palace walls.
With this new role, King Charles’ faith in Sophie reinforces her rising importance within the Firm — not just as a family member, but as a reliable, compassionate royal presence on the world stage.
