The Duchess of Edinburgh’s “powerful voice” and eagerness to spread awareness on global issues will be key to the Royal Family remaining relevant internationally, according to biographer Sean Smith.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, Mr Smith reflected on a photograph that reshaped his view of Sophie’s evolving role within the Royal Family.
He said: “I came across a photograph that I had missed at the time. It was of Sophie with the Hollywood star Angelina Jolie at a 2018 film festival in London entitled Fighting Stigma Through Film.
“This was not the usual red carpet fluff but a serious event. Angelina is the proof that you can look a million dollars for the camera and the crowds and still make a difference.
“The Oscar-winning actress is a powerful voice declaring that it is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict.
“Since that day, Sophie too has become a powerful voice, joining the fight to end the silence around women in conflict.
“The Royal Family, in my opinion, needs to be more relevant in the world and Sophie has shown and continues to show that you can be more than just a ribbon-cutter in a designer frock and a tiara.”
The event Mr Smith referred to, the Fighting Stigma Through Film festival, was hosted at the British Film Institute in London in 2018.
The Duchess of Edinburgh’s “powerful voice” and eagerness to spread awareness on global issues will be key to the Royal Family remaining relevant internationally, according to biographer Sean Smith.
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PA
The Duchess, then the Countess of Wessex, attended alongside Ms Jolie, who co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.
The festival played host to films exploring the stigma faced by survivors of sexual violence in conflict zones.
Since that appearance, the Duchess has taken an increasingly active role in global advocacy.
In April 2024, she became the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska in Kyiv.
Angelina Jolie and the Duchess of Edinburgh in 2019
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ANDREW PARSONS
During the visit, she met survivors of torture and conflict-related sexual violence and spoke with volunteers supporting displaced families.
Earlier missions included visits to South Sudan and Kosovo to meet survivors of sexual violence and learn about community rehabilitation efforts.
In September 2025, the Duchess undertook a humanitarian trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, visiting Panzi Hospital in Kinshasa with Nobel laureate Dr Denis Mukwege.
Reports from the visit described her private meetings with survivors and medical teams working to protect women and children affected by war.
Mr Smith believes that the Duchess has evolved into one of the monarchy’s most globally engaged figures, bringing empathy and credibility to her work.
He told GB News that Sophie’s visibility and hands-on approach offer an alternative model of royal service, focused on action rather than ceremony.
His remarks come as the Duchess continues to represent the Royal Family at humanitarian and diplomatic events, maintaining attention on survivors of conflict and sexual violence.