The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie Helen, is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on a three-day visit on Monday, officials said.
Her visit will focus on women's empowerment, the UK-Bangladesh partnership, and support for stateless Rohingya Muslims living in squalid camps in the south-eastern Bangladeshi district of Cox's Bazar.
State-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news agency reported, according to a Royal Communications press release circulated by the British High Commission in Dhaka, that the Duchess of Edinburgh would meet communities and organizations reflecting the strength and breadth of bilateral ties.
The Mariana-Edinburgh Fan Account posted on X that in Dhaka she will meet with President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's spouse, Zubaida Rahman, "on the welfare, protection and empowerment of women and girls."
According to the post, she will visit BIPSOT (Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training), the peacekeeping training institute, to recognize Bangladesh's role in UN peacekeeping and the importance of women in peace and security.
She is also expected to visit BKSP (Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan), the national sports institute, to meet young athletes, including female hockey players, and highlight how sport creates opportunities for women and girls.
She is scheduled to join a celebration of 75 years of the British Council in Bangladesh, focused on education, cultural exchange, and women's empowerment.
In Cox's Bazar, she will see firsthand the plight of the stateless Rohingya Muslims and the activities of the organizations working for their welfare.
Her engagements will highlight efforts to strengthen resilience and leadership within refugee communities, alongside rehabilitation, protection, and inclusion services helping displaced women and children build their futures.
The Duchess is visiting Bangladesh at the request of the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. She previously visited the country in 2017.
Sophie, born on January 20, 1965, is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest sibling of King Charles III.
She met Edward in 1987 while working for Capital Radio; their engagement was announced in January 1999, and they married on June 19, 1999, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The couple have a daughter, Louise, and a son, James.
In 2002, Sophie closed her business interests and began full-time work as a member of the royal family. She is the patron of over 70 charities and organizations, including Childline and the London College of Fashion. Her charity work primarily revolves around people with disabilities, women's rights, avoidable blindness, and agriculture.
