Duchess of Edinburgh Breaks Down After Hearing Horrific Stories from Sudanese Refugees
The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, was moved to tears during her recent visit to the border of war-torn Sudan, where she met with refugees who had fled the country to escape brutal violence. The 59-year-old royal, on her second overseas trip in just two weeks, broke down after hearing harrowing accounts of s*xual violence and rape used as a terror tactic in the ongoing conflict, told the Daily Mail.
Sophie, a mother of two, met with women who had endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of soldiers. These women, who had fled to neighboring Chad, shared their devastating stories with the duchess. Many had been subjected to rape in exchange for basic necessities like food and water, and some recounted how their daughters had experienced similar horrors.
Deeply affected by the encounters, Sophie embraced five of the survivors, listening to their stories with tears in her eyes. She later told The Sun, “I daren’t even describe to you what they’ve been doing to children. It’s not just about the s*xual violence, which is horrific because they’re having to exchange food and water for s*x, and if they don’t, they kill them.”
She went on to express her heartbreak over the limited options these women face. “These women have no option but to leave. And even then, they’re lucky. If they can get away, because some of the villages and towns they come from, they can’t even leave their houses anymore. If they leave, they get killed.”
One particular encounter with a young, silent girl at the border left a lasting impression on Sophie. “It’s heartbreaking. You have no idea what they have been through,” she said. “That little girl was so silent, and it worried me because of what I’ve just heard now.”
Sophie, visibly shaken by what she had heard, expressed her deep concern. “I can’t share – I don’t think you would even want to print it in your publications, to be honest with you. But what they do to the children is… I can’t even use the words,” she said. “That little girl that we were talking to – now that I’ve spoken to the women, I worry what she has either encountered or what she has witnessed.”
The duchess’ emotional response underscores the gravity of the atrocities being committed in Sudan, as she continues to raise awareness of the plight of refugees affected by the brutal conflict.