Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh Speaks Out About Sudan War Anniversary and 'Most Harrowing' Stories She's Ever Heard

Janine HenniFri, April 17, 2026 at 8:43 PM UTC

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Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh speaks on the Sudan crisis at Plan International UK office on April 15, 2026Credit: Courtesy of Plan International UK -

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, marked the Sudan war's third anniversary at a Plan International UK roundtable in London

She highlighted the war’s devastating impact and reflected on the "most harrowing" stories she has "ever heard" from those affected

Prince Edward's wife urged continued attention to Sudan and shared a hopeful message for peace on a symbolic reflection tree

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh is drawing attention to the third anniversary of the Sudan war and its atrocities.

On April 15, the Duchess of Edinburgh, 61, spoke out about the conflict at a roundtable hosted by Plan International UK at the charity's office in London.

Prince Edward's wife is Royal Patron of Plan International UK and met with Sudanese youth advocates, civil society organizations, British government representatives and humanitarian leaders at the event spotlighting the crisis, which was held on the third anniversary of the outbreak of the war.

“After three years of conflict, Sudan is reaping the most horrendous human cost on the planet," Sophie said in part.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh at Plan International UK's office on April 15, 2026.Credit: Courtesy of Plan International UK

"I’ve had the privilege of speaking to women impacted by conflicts from all over the world – but the stories from Sudan are the most harrowing I have ever heard. No human should ever have to encounter such devastation and violence," she continued.

“We must not forget about Sudan and I will keep raising my voice where and when I can," she urged.

It's estimated that at least 150,000 people have died in the civil war in Sudan that began in April 2023, the BBC previously reported. The New York Times said in an April 15 report that about 14 million people have been forced to flee their homes in what's become "the world’s largest humanitarian crisis."

The roundtable was all about shining a light on the voices of the Sudanese people, who shared their first-hand experiences of the conflict and its disproportionate impact on girls, from disrupted education to heightened risks of violence and displacement.

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Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh at Plan International UK's office on April 15, 2026.Credit: Courtesy of Plan International UK

Those effects are a concern close to heart for Sophie, who has made the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls a priority of her royal work. In October 2024, she even traveled to the Chad-Sudan border to witness the impact of the conflict firsthand and penned an essay for The Telegraph in January about the "stark and terrible milestone" of 1,000 days of fighting.

At the event on Thursday, the Duchess of Edinburgh participated in a discussion with youth and shared a message for a symbolic “reflection tree,” where people wrote words of hope for Sudan’s future.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh and Plan International UK CEO Rose Caldwell leave messages of support for the Sudan crisis on April 15, 2026.Credit: Courtesy of Plan International UK

"Peace is the only option. The people of Sudan are not forgotten," Sophie poignantly wrote.

According to Plan International UK, the crisis has left over 30 million people, including 17 million children, in need of humanitarian assistance, the highest such number in the world.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh's message on April 15, 2026.Credit: Courtesy of Plan International UK

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Over 21 million people also face extreme hunger, with 12 million people estimated to be at risk of gender-based violence.

Sophie became the royal patron of Plan International UK in 2024, stepping into a post previously held by her late father-in-law, Prince Philip. The Duchess of Edinburgh holds a full-time working royal role and also backs the United Nations' Women, Peace and Security Agenda, plus the U.K.'s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, among other causes.

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