This Royal Just Stepped in to Deliver Message from King Charles (And No, It Wasn’t Queen Camilla)

Though King Charles, 75, was unable to attend the 80th anniversary ceremony of the Battle of Monte Cassino, which took place at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Italy on Sunday, May 19, there was a member of the British royal family who stepped in for the monarch to deliver an important message on his behalf. (And no, it wasn’t his wife, Queen Camilla.)

In a series of photos shared on the royal family’s Instagram account yesterday, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, can be seen reading the king’s message while standing at a podium. 

Meanwhile, the next slide of the post shows the 59-year-old royal posing next to a World War II veteran named Jack Hearnthe and the British Ambassador to Italy, Lord Edward Llewellyn, per the Daily Mail.  For the occasion, Duchess Sophie rocked a chic Suzannah London dress that features a beautiful depiction of a painted landscape. 

Luckily, the king’s message was also posted on the royal family’s official website for royally obsessed fans (like myself) to read in full. The public address read: “Eighty years ago, the Battle of Monte Cassino concluded with an Allied victory which opened the Road to Rome and marked the beginning of the end for the occupation of Italy. The actions of the courageous men and women who achieved success here were vital to enabling the landings in Normandy a few weeks later.”

It continued, “On this Eightieth Anniversary, let us pause to reflect on the immense sacrifices made by so many for the cause of freedom in Europe - perhaps ever more poignant today.  Let us remember all those who fought in the campaign, including the lives of the Commonwealth personnel who never returned home and lie, or are remembered, in the Cassino War Cemetery. And let us also recall the hardships, service and suffering of the Italian civilian population during this period.”