The Duchess of Edinburgh met adorable guide dog puppies on Tuesday during a historic visit to Northern Ireland.
Sophie, 61, made her first visit to the region in eight years, since 2018, spending time at the Bloomfield Walkways Community Centre in Belfast.
During her solo visit, she met representatives from Guide Dogs for the Blind, celebrating 40 years of the organisation by meeting one of their newest recruits. Puppy in training Luna immediately seemed fond of the royal as she bent down to stroke her.
During her one-day trip, the Duchess also visited a new specialist autism centre in Randalstown, Co Antrim, before attending a Women in Leadership event at the town’s library.
She was not joined on this occasion by her husband, Prince Edward, who also has a packed schedule this week, attending a dinner at the Jester’s Club and a reception at the Royal Automobile Club on Tuesday.
See all the best photos below.
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During a tour of Bloomfield Walkway Community Centre, Sophie took a moment to pet puppy-in-training Luna as she heard about her progress towards becoming a companion through the charity, of which she is a patron.
She laughed as the six-month-old pup excitedly greeted her, vigorously wagging her tail and briefly jumping up.
She told her, “You’re not meant to jump up”, before hearing her new friend is due to go into advanced training in May, but is “doing really well”.
Luna was immediately a fan of the royal, giving her an adoring look and a friendly sniff.
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The Duchess looked effortlessly stylish in a smart blazer and skirt, both from Gabriela Hurst. She paired her look with Jimmy Choo boots and a matching bag from Sophie Habsburg.
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Gushing over the positive visit, royal fans wrote: “Heartwarming! Everything we needed to see today”, while another praised Sophie for her “dedication”.
The outing comes amid a difficult time for the royal family, as the Firm has been under continued pressure since the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor last month.
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Later, Sophie met another guide dog called Biscuit, alongside service user Diane Marks.
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She presented Judith Martin with a certificate for being the 1000th volunteer for Guide Dogs Northern Ireland.
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Sophie was welcomed to the community centre by a delegation which included Lord Mayor Tracy Young and MP Gavin Robinson.
She also watched a dance performance and met members of the public, including 13-year-old Reuben Walls, from Grosvenor Grammar School.