The Duchess of Edinburgh spread some festive cheer as she decorated biscuits and showcased her musical talents during an outing in Camberley, Surrey on Thursday. Sophie, 61, who was dressed for the occasion in a paisley print dress and a Santa hat, visited one of her long standing patronages, Disability Initiative, for a series of Christmas-themed activities.
The charity, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, specialises in providing care and slow stream rehabilitation to adults with physical disabilities, as well as those with acquired brain injuries. Never one to shy away from being actively hands-on, Sophie sat down to decorate reindeer-shaped biscuits supplied by Crafty Cakes, complete with a fondant red nose. The name card placed at her station read: “HRH Magnificent Patron.”
“She loved that,” Lucy Brown, Chief Executive of Disability Initiative, tells HELLO!. “It was a really brilliant session and one of the things we did today that was really special was we were able to thank everyone for for all the support they give us – from the president and the trustees to all the volunteers that come on in on a day-to-day basis and impart their skills and expertise, so it was lovely. The Duchess met all of the volunteers and personally thanked all of them.”
During her session, Sophie also turned her hand to decorating miniature Christmas trees, adorned with baubles, beads and ornaments before joining a drum circle.
“The Duchess was absolutely brilliant, her rhythm was outstanding. There was a point where everyone had to close their eyes and feel the rhythm, and she was a natural, she’s really musical,” Lucy tells HELLO!.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesSophie’s involvement with the charity goes back to her early royal years, not long after her marriage to the late Queen Elizabeth II’s youngest son, Prince Edward, in 1999.
Then as the Countess of Wessex with her husband, the Earl, she opened the new Disability Initiative Resource Centre in Camberley in 2001. Two years later, Sophie became the charity’s patron.
© PA Images via Getty Images“The Duchess understands the importance of a proper support network with specialist input,” Lucy says. “We’ve got occupational therapy, a top-notch neuro occupational therapist and access to brain injury specialists, which she also congratulated and said how proud she is of the organisation. She always loves coming here.”
Lucy describes Sophie’s support for the charity as “phenomenal” with the Duchess making regular visits to the organisation, which is close to her Bagshot Park home.
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