The Duchess of Edinburgh was spotted packing Christmas gifts and speaking to volunteers as she opened a new community hub in Guildford.
Sophie is a patron of The Lighthouse, a Surry and Hampshire-based charity that helps to support marginalised and vulnerable members of society through various programmes and initiatives.
The duchess displayed her maternal side as she met with Lucy and her six-month-old daughter Dottie, and Aya with her eight-month-old, Wateen, who are regulars at the centre’s playgroup.
Lucy spoke on her interaction with the duchess: “She (Dottie) loves to cuddle with everyone. And after the group photograph at the end, we were stood by the duchess and she turned around and had another chat with Dottie, and said how good she’s been.
Duchess Sophie spent time with some of the mothers and babies that regularly attend The Lighthouse
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“Dottie was five weeks old when we first came along and we’ve been every week since.
“She’s got lots of little buddies here and it’s just so nice to get out and talk with other mums, and you don’t necessarily have to worry about the babies too much, as it’s a safe space.
“Of all the other groups I’ve gone to, these are the friendliest people, the nicest people. I can’t recommend enough,” she told Hello.
Sophie has been a patron for the charity since 2022, but her involvement with The Lighthouse goes back over five years.
In 2023, the duchess donned an apron and got her hands messy as she served up a festive dinner at a Christmas party to support over 200 local Ukrainian refugees at its Woking branch.
At the Guildford hub on Monday, the Duchess was eager to speak to members of the various groups and offered to help pack festive gift bags for local families as part of the charity’s Christmas Kindness appeal.
The duchess commemorated her visit with a plaque
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As Sophie stepped into the donation hub, she remarked to volunteers: “Is this the production line of Santa’s little helpers?”
She helped to pack items into the paper bags, including chocolate, mittens and beauty products, which had been donated by locals and companies.
After picking up a pair of gloves, Sophie said: “I could have done with these today,” following her visit to 9 Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at Normandy Barracks in Hampshire earlier in the day.
The Duchess took the time to speak to some of the volunteers, who are also involved in the coaching programmes provided at the hub, telling them: “It makes such a difference. Everybody needs a bit of help in different stages of their lives.”
After finishing with the gift bags, the 60-year-old then spoke to organisers about the Men Matter service, a space for men to come along and talk as they engage in an activity and a hot meal.
The royal then showed off her artistic skills as she joined a workshop where she cut into thick brown paper to craft a giant snowflake Christmas decoration.
The Duchess of Edinburgh tried her hand at crafting Christmas decorations
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“It’s harder than it looks!” she laughed as she cut out each layer.
The duchess commemorated her visit with a plaque unveiling, as well as learning about the support given by the centre during their seven-week bereavement course.