Solo Sophie! Duchess of Edinburgh enjoys wine tasting as she begins five-day trip to Canada – without husband Prince Edward

• Duchess of Edinburgh, 58, visited the Inniskillin Winery in southern Ontario
• Read more: Duchess of Edinburgh sports £295 dress during trip to Ethiopia

Sophie Wessex took part in an icewine tasting session as she visited a Canadian vineyard at the start of her five-day solo trip to North America.

The Duchess of Edinburgh, 58, arrived in Canada on Friday, and spent the start of her Saturday visiting the Inniskillin Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, southern Ontario.

The mother-of-two, who is patron of Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals, will remain in Canada until Wednesday – and she has a very busy schedule to look forward to.

Sophie looked chic in a black, military style jacket with gold buttons for her visit to the winery, which she accessorised with sturdy brown boots and a Remembrance Day poppy.

She completed her outfit with army green trousers, and opted to wear her blonde hair swept back into a sleek up-do.

Sophie Wessex took part in an icewine tasting session as she visited a Canadian vineyard at the start of her five-day solo trip to North America

Later today, the Duchess will attend the Duchess of Edinburgh competition. This will see the royal’s military affiliations come together to compete in a series of military challenges.

As per the Royal website: ‘The venue and challenges change annually but always include a series of demanding physical and mental tests.’

Sophie will present the trophy – known as the Countess of Wessex Cup – to the winning team later today, before attending a dinner hosted by the Lincoln & Welland Regimental Foundation.

On Sunday, the Duchess ‘will attend a Service of Remembrance at St Catherine’s Cenotaph, accompanied by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, before attending a reception to meet soldiers of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and their families’. 

Her solo trip comes after she visited Ethiopia in October to champion two important causes.

Sophie, who is a Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, was celebrating the transformative work of the international eye care charity Orbis ahead of World Sight Day.

The Duchess of Edinburgh , 58, arrived in Canada on Friday, and spent the start of her Saturday visiting the Inniskillin Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, southern Ontario

The mother-of-two, who is patron of Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals, will remain in Canada until Wednesday – and she has a very busy schedule to look forward to

Sophie looked chic in a black, military style jacket with gold buttons for her visit to the winery, which she accessorised with sturdy brown boots and a Remembrance Day poppy

She completed her outfit with army green trousers, and opted to wear her blonde hair swept back into a sleek up-do

The royal mother-of-two was also in the African country to advocate for another cause – the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence.

During a visit to Sabacare IDP Camp, which is home to over 16,000 internally displaced persons who are predominantly women and girls, Sophie observed the crucial work carried out by UNICEF in the region.

For the engagement, she opted for a £295 dress from ME+EM, paired with Penelope Chilvers wedges.

The Duchess learned about the persistent challenges these women face and the specialised help offered by UNICEF, before joining them in some skilled sewing activities.

She also had the opportunity to meet and spend time with children in a child-friendly space within the camp.

Later today, the Duchess will attend the Duchess of Edinburgh competition. This will see the royal’s military affiliations come together to compete in a series of military challenges

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