Duchess Sophie shrugs off royal race row as she watches a dance performance in Colombia
The Duchess of Edinburgh appeared in high spirits as she visited a dance center in Columbia on Thursday, shrugging off the Omid Scobie races scandal.
Duchess Sophie, 58, visited Colombia this week at the request of the Foreign, Development and Commonwealth Office, where she is supporting the Women, Peace and Security program to end sexual violence in conflict.
The royal looked in good spirits as she enjoyed a dance performance at La Licorera in Cali, the city’s cultural center for dance and choreography.
The mum-of-two wore a chic blue dress, cinched at the waist with a brown belt, and completed the look with wedge heels.
Sophie attended the dance workshop amid a difficult week for the royal family, with the publication of the book Endgame, in which a Dutch publication named two members of the royal family who allegedly made comments about Archie’s skin color.
The Duchess of Edinburgh appeared in high spirits as she visited a dance center in Cali on Thursday amid the Omid Scobie races row.
Trying to stay calm and carry on, she attended the British Council’s new creative boot camp: Dance and Peace, which provides new opportunities for young people in the Pacific affected by armed conflict.
Sophie, patron of the Central School of Ballet, met with local dancers from Incolballet, the Colombian Ballet Institute (Instituto Colombiano de Ballet), and heard about the positive role of the arts in healing communities and building peace.
Sophie appears unfazed on her tour after royal biographer Omid Scobie described her and Prince Edward as “casually bigoted” in his explosive royal book.
Scobie released his book Endgame, in which he pointed out the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s “royal failure” in 2021 after Harry and Meghan gave their controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey.
After Sophie and Prince Edward brushed off the interview during their first appearance since it was broadcast, Scobie stated that they appeared “at best nerdy or big-eared, and at worst casually bigoted.”
The book references the couple’s interview with the Telegraph newspaper in March 2021, shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made several explosive statements about the royal family in their interview with American broadcasting legend Oprah Winfrey.
In the interview, which was their first in more than two decades, the couple jokingly asked, “Oprah who?” when asked if they watched Harry and Meghan’s bombshell appearance.
“You know, unless you’re into talk shows, there’s no reason to know who she is. At least not in this country,” Sophie said of the US talk show host.
The royal looked in good spirits as she enjoyed a dance performance at La Licorera, the city’s cultural center for dance and choreography.
Sophie smiled as she chatted with the dancers after their performance.
The mother of two donned a chic blue dress, which she secured at the waist with a brown belt, and completed the look with wedge heels.
Scobie said the royal duo were out of touch with their comments “about the most successful black woman in the world and one of the biggest names in entertainment.”
He continued: “Sophie’s gaffe with Oprah is another page to add to the story of recent failures.”
The Duchess’s visit to Colombia comes a year after the International Conference on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict in London.
While in Bogota, Sophie marked the anniversary at a roundtable meeting with PSVI stakeholders in Colombia as the country prepares to take on the role of chair of the International Alliance to Prevent Sexual Violence in Conflict in 2024.
Last year, the conference was attended by more than 1,000 participants from 57 countries, including victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
Representatives were brought together with the common goal of addressing root causes, holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring justice for survivors, and supporting children born of sexual violence while combating the stigma they face in their communities.
At the British residence, the royals also attended the peace and sustainable fashion demonstration “Moda-Paz-Sostenibilidad”, which demonstrated the connection between peace and the environment in Colombia.
It featured the work of designers affected by armed conflict, including former combatants and survivors.
She completed her glamorous look with blue stone earrings that paired perfectly with her ensemble.
The royal appeared mesmerized by the dancer’s performance as she watched from the seating area.
Their sustainable fashion brands not only protect the natural world, but have also created alternative, viable livelihoods in their communities affected by armed conflict and organized crime, while also providing a creative outlet for telling their stories.
The Duchess, patron of the London College of Fashion, congratulated the designers and then addressed the assembled guests, including those working on issues relating to women, peace and security, conflict resolution and protecting Colombia’s biodiversity.
On Wednesday, the royal looked relaxed in a floral blouse, which she paired with casual jeans and hiking boots, as she visited the Trópicos Fruits of Hope coffee farm to learn how the farm is supporting the economic reintegration of more than 130 former combatants, and the role of women in continuing to build peace.
She heard about the progress and challenges of the historic 2016 peace agreement from former FARC combatants.
Sophie applauded the dancers as they finished their performance.
Sophie spoke to the artists of the new Creative Bootcamp: Dance and Peace course, organized by the British Council.
The dance program opens new opportunities for young people in the Pacific region affected by armed conflict.
The royal looked at ease as she visited women’s organizations in Cali, Colombia, this week.
The mother of two visited Trópicos Fruits of Hope coffee farm to learn how the farm is supporting the economic reintegration of more than 130 former combatants, as well as the role of women in continuing to build peace.
Later, Sophie visited the farm’s seed nurseries and even tasted the finished product.
The conflict in Colombia has had a disproportionate impact on women and girls, many of whom are victims of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Ahead of Colombia’s year as Chair of the International Alliance for PSVI in 2024, the royal met with peacemakers and CRSV survivors to hear their testimonies and experiences, and their role in peace processes.