Royal's emotive bond with Princess Diana's work revealed ahead of big milestone

ok.co.uk:

The Duchess of Edinburgh has been tirelessly working on deeply moving and critical causes, travelling to some of the most war-torn regions in the world.

In a historic move, she became the first Royal to step foot in Ukraine since the Russian invasion three years ago, making the visit in April 2024.

Previously, in March 2020, she was the pioneering Royal who visited Sudan shortly after a ceasefire was announced. Reflecting on her experiences, she shared how she had been to "some very dark places" and listened to stories so harrowing they left "tears dropping off your chin".

It's this dedication to challenging issues that has drawn parallels between Sophie, who will celebrate turning 60 on January 20, and the beloved Princess Diana, often referred to as the Queen of Hearts. "They were both blonde and both beautiful, of course, but there's also a parallel between the ground-breaking and often dangerous work that Diana did with landmines through the Halo Trust," comments Royal expert Katie Nicholl. "Some of the work Sophie does is similar, especially her efforts to raise awareness for vulnerable women in conflict zones and for victims of genocide and sexual violence.These are tough subjects that you wouldn't typically associate with royalty.