The Duchess of Edinburgh looked effortlessly elegant as she arrived today to speak live to an astronaut at the International Space Station in Surrey.
Mum-of-two Sophie, 59, wore a fitted jacket and striking turquoise trousers as she visited Brooklands Motor Museum in Weybridge.
Her visit, with the Girl Guides, was part of her efforts to promote young women’s participation in STEM: science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The trip included a planned contact with the International Space Station, and Sophie, who is the patron of Guiding in the UK, was clearly delighted to take part.
The Duchess was pictured speaking to astronaut Sunita Williams, who is on the International Space Station, during her visit to the museum on Saturday.
Sophie received warm applause as she was greeted by over 100 Brownies, Guides, Rangers and other museum guests.
The Duchess of Edinburgh looked effortlessly elegant as she arrived today to make planned contact with the International Space Station in Surrey.
The Duchess was pictured speaking to astronaut Sunita Williams, who is on the International Space Station, during her visit to the museum on Saturday.
Appearing on stage in front of a specially equipped microphone, the royal then addressed Ms Williams as the ISS flew within range, about 270 miles above Earth.
Sophie said: ‘As now a Patron of the Girlguiding Association in the UK, I want to thank you for the inspiration you have shown our young girls to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering and maths. Are you ready for your first question?
She then asked the astronaut who or what inspired her to pursue her career and any advice she had for Girlguides listening.
Addressing the girls, Mrs Williams replied: “Do what you want, don’t get stuck in one thing or another.”
Williams, an astronaut since 1998, made his third trip to the International Space Station in June for an eight-day mission.
However, she remained trapped on the ISS after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft she was traveling in experienced problems, with February next year being the earliest date she will be able to return to Earth.
Mum-of-two Sophie, 59, wore a fitted jacket and striking turquoise trousers as she visited Brooklands Motor Museum in Weybridge.
Her visit, with the Girl Guides, was part of her efforts to promote young women’s participation in STEM: science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Ms Williams responded to questions read by 10 members of Girlguiding Surrey West, revealing that she wanted to be a veterinarian if she were not an astronaut, that she kept a diary in her free time on the ISS and that her favorite planet was Saturn.
British reserve astronaut Meganne Christian, present in person, was then asked by a wider audience of children for more details about life in space.
Sophie was then awarded three commemorative Guiding Challenge badges and a rose gold Patroness badge.
The Duchess stopped briefly to chat to visitors in the public as she left the museum, telling one of them: “It’s a lovely museum, so much fun.”
It has been a busy week for the Duchess, who enjoyed a light-hearted moment yesterday during a visit to a military camp in Wiltshire.
In her role as a royal colonel, Sophie, 59, presided over a welcome parade for the 5th Battalion of the Rifles in Bulford following a six-month deployment to Estonia.
The trip included a planned contact with the International Space Station, and Sophie, who is the patron of Guiding in the UK, was clearly delighted to take part.
Sophie received warm applause as she was greeted by over 100 Brownies, Guides, Rangers and other museum guests.
Appearing on stage in front of a specially equipped microphone, the royal then addressed Sunita Williams as the ISS flew within range, about 270 miles above Earth.
In what became a joke shared between Sophie and a member of the battalion, the duchess plucked a spider from the soldier’s shirt before exchanging smiles.
The Duchess, who will appear on CBeebies’ Bedtime Story segment next week, opted to repurpose one of her wardrobe staples for the visit to Picton Barracks.
The mother of two wore a purple and pink coat dress from one of the royal family’s favorite designer brands, Erdem, for the first time while inspecting the show on Friday.
Fans will remember that she first wore the dress almost seven years ago, when Sophie joined the royal family for their Christmas service at Sandringham in 2017.
The duchess stopped briefly to chat to visitors in the public as she left the museum, telling one of them: “It’s a lovely museum, so much fun.”
Sophie was then awarded three commemorative Guiding Challenge badges and a rose gold Patroness badge.
She recycled the botanical print and ankle-length design during an official visit to Latvia with her husband, Prince Edward, in 2018.
Not only Sophie, the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex are reportedly fans of British designer Erdem Moralioglu, who founded his eponymous high-end designer brand.
For her visit to Picton Barracks on Friday, Sophie wore her hair in a sleek low bun and kept her makeup fresh and dewy.
She accessorized with drop earrings that complemented the berry tones of her dress, a delicate gold necklace, and a pair of beige heels.
During the event, Sophie reviewed the Honor Guard, gave a speech and chatted cordially with members of the soldiers’ families.
In what was an especially touching moment, the royals presented mini medals to the children present at the homecoming parade.