Duchess Sophie prepares for major move as she helps charity pack up

Duchess Sophie rolled up her sleeve and got to packing during a visit to The Lighthouse charity in Woking over the weekend.

As patron of The Lighthouse, the Duchess of Edinburgh helped volunteers pack up the charity’s current space ahead of its relocation. She was also shown around the organisation’s temporary new home as renovations begin. Speaking with staff and volunteers over tea, Sophie heard about their plans for the year ahead and how the charity aims to continue supporting vulnerable people as Woking’s High Street undergoes redevelopment.

The Lighthouse later shared photos from the visit on social media, writing: The Lighthouse later shared photos from the visit on social media, writing: “HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh visited The Lighthouse Woking, taking the short walk to our new location around the corner.”

The charity currently operates across four locations in Woking, Barnsbury, Aldershot and Guildford.

The visit came alongside a powerful appeal from Sophie on the international stage. In a piece written for The Telegraph, the duchess urged the world not to ignore Sudan as the conflict reached a devastating milestone.

“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, describing it as “the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis.”

Sophie also reflected on visiting Sudan’s border last year, recalling a relentless stream of exhausted families crossing into Chad, often on foot or in donkey-drawn carts.