Duchess of Edinburgh visits Congo to meet survivors of sexual violence

The Duchess of Edinburgh has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo.

She witnessed the impact of the ongoing conflict in Congo, particularly on women and girls. She first visited Congo in 2022.

The Duchess travelled to the city of Beni, which has now become the new regional capital and houses the displaced government authorities. It has also become the emporary Joint Force Headquarters of MONUSCO and thus a hub for humanitarian response. She met with UN peacekeepers, known as ‘blue helmets,’ from around the world at their jungle training facility.

At the request of @FCDOGovUK, The Duchess of Edinburgh has returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo to witness the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict, particularly on women and girls, and to highlight the work of women peacebuilders to support local peace initiatives.

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 2, 2025

At the Beni General Hospital, she met with physicians who are providing sexual and reproductive health services for victims of conflict-related sexual violence funded by the United Kingdom. The Duchess also met with women and girls who have been affected by the conflict and are now being supported by the Women’s Safe Space, which provides livelihoods training and psychosocial support.

After Beni, the Duchess travelled to the capital, Kinshasa, where she was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner. She met with Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. She visited the newly expanded Panzi Clinic and met with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dr Denis Mukwege. The clinic supports survivors of sexual violence.

After the visit to the clinic, Sophie travelled to a safe house, which supports survivors of a mass rape which took place during a mass escape attempt from Kinshasa’s Makala Central Prison in September 2024. Thousands of men assaulted hundreds of women during their escape.

On the last day of her visit, she visited the Kintambo General Hospital in Kinshasa. She was joined there by the first woman Prime Minister of DRC, Judith Suminwa, and the Minister for Health, Dr Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba.