Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, reached one of the natural wonders of the world on Thursday, the fourth day of her six-day official visit to Zambia. Dressed in a Soler London wrap dress with Penelope Chilvers espadrilles, the Duchess traveled to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, home to Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls on earth, stretching 1,708 feet across the Zambezi River on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The locale is known by several names. Mosi-oa-Tunya, the traditional name in the local Lozi language, means “the smoke that thunders,” a reference to the immense spray and roar produced as the stream of the Zambezi plunges into a series of basalt gorges. In the Tonga language, it is called Shungu Namutitima, meaning “boiling water.” Scottish explorer David Livingstone was the first European to visit the falls in 1855, naming them in English after Queen Victoria.
“Lest we forget” reads the card, personally signed by Sophie.
The site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989, jointly managed by Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Duchess of Edinburgh began her visit by laying a bouquet of flowers at the Victoria Falls Cenotaph, which honors those who died in World War I. The bouquet included a card, signed by Sophie, with the inscription, “Lest we forget,” a solemn phrase used to remember the sacrifices and horrors of war.
Later in the day, Sophie visited Maramba Primary School, where she met pupils and coordinators from Sport in Action, a Zambian nonprofit founded in 1998 and the country’s first sports-focused NGO. The organization uses sport and recreation to address HIV/AIDS awareness, gender equality, health education, and social inclusion across 12 districts. There, she observed activities and heard how the programs are being used to drive social change and support healthier communities.
Sophie’s royal visit wraps up Friday, with a meeting with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. Since arriving Monday, Sophie has covered significant ground, beginning with an eye health reception in Lusaka hosted by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, followed by meetings with women business leaders and artists on Tuesday, and a full day of conservation work at the Lower Zambezi on Wednesday, including an outing with the Kufadza Female Scouts, Zambia’s first all-women ranger unit
