The Duchess of Edinburgh has completed her first engagement of 2026, as she attended The Lighthouse in Woking, and her boots stole the show for the first event of the year.
The Lighthouse is set for relocation, and as a patron, Sophie helped the volunteers pack ahead of renovations set to take place in the current space.
The duchess was given a first look at The Lighthouse’s temporary home, all while wearing a pair of stylish knee-high boots.
Sophie donned Sinatra Suede Boots by Penelope Chilvers in Biscuit. The boots retail for £359 and are made from high-quality suede.
The Duchess of Edinburgh stunned with her outfit for her first royal engagement of the year
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The boots were perfect for the chilly weather the royal experienced, The boots featured a block heel, and the royal paired them with a belted jacket by Bally that showcased a high class aestethic.
The jacket featured structured button detailing and a Mandarin collar, as well as a charcoal roll neck top and a dark coloured skirt.
She completed her look with Isabel Marant’s “Oskan Moon Shoulder Bag in Cognac”, a go-to bag for the duchess. She was seen sporting £695 bag while attending the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2024.
The Lighthouse took to social media after the visit from the duchess, and showcased Sophie with all of the volunteers for the charity.
In their post they said: “Our patron HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh visited The Lighthouse Woking to meet and think volunteers who are packing up our beloved building, ahead of our relocation around the corner.”
Speaking with staff and volunteers over a cup of tea, the duchess heard about their exciting plans for the upcoming year.
Sophie met with volunteers who are helping to relocate The Lighthouse
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They discussed the wider scheme The Lighthouse has in mind as Woking’s High Street continues to be redeveloped.
The charity currently has four locations set up in Woking, Barnsbury, Aldershot and Guildford.
The Duchess of Edinburgh’s visit came as she delivered a powerful appeal for the world to turn its attention to Sudan as the devastating conflict reached a grim milestone of 1,000 days.
In a piece written for The Telegraph, the royal described the crisis as “the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis” and urged global reflection on the scale of suffering that has unfolded largely unnoticed.
“As the world embarks on a new year, we are met with a stark and terrible milestone: 1,000 days of conflict in Sudan,” she wrote.
The duchess is a patron for the charity
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The duchess highlighted that this moment calls for reflection and careful thought, not only due to the significant suffering involved but also because the catastrophe has unfolded with surprisingly little attention from the international community.
Sophie described her experience about a year ago at Sudan’s border, where she watched a continuous stream of tired people crossing into Chad, either on foot or in donkey-drawn carts.