Yesterday, The Countess of Wessex returned to carrying out royal duties after the festive holiday, where she joined members of the family for the Christmas Day Service at Sandringham.
Sophie carried out engagements in Bagshot and Ascot, near to Windsor.
The Countess of Wessex carried out her first solo engagements of 2023. (Royal Family).
Sophie’s first engagement was to Connaught Junior School in Bagshot, near to where she resides with her husband, Prince Edward and their son, James, Viscount Severn. Lady Louise is currently studying at the University of St Andrew’s in Scotland.
The Countess officially opening the school’s new STEAM Lab and helped to celebrate the school’s 60th anniversary. She met students and staff and was given a tour of the new Lab facilities and heard how it will help the children.
Her next point in the tour was the pottery room where The Countess got stuck in and joined pupils to help them some clay tiles to celebrate the school’s 60th birthday.
Sophie met Toffee, the school dog. (Royal Family)
Her Royal Highness then joined the Eco Council, who informed the mother-of-two what projects they were working on within the school, such as composting with waste food and highlighting the dangers of plastics on the environment.
Sophie helped the Council to plant a cherry blossom tree as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, which has been extended to the Spring to cover the British tree planting season.
The Countess was presented with a birthday cake during a the visit. Sophie was also given a bunch of yellow flowers and ‘Happy Birthday’ was sung by the school children to mark her 58th birthday, which she celebrates today.
The Royal concluded her visit to the school by meeting the school dog, Toffee, who showed HRH some of his special tricks.
Sophie began her year of engagements locally, visiting a school and hospital near Windsor (@RoyalFamily)
The royal visit from HRH The Countess of Wessex went very well today. Toffee enjoyed some quality time with her. More pictures to follow. #schooldog @ConnaughtSch pic.twitter.com/CoBQzPAtrY
— ToffeeTweets (@tweets_toffee) January 19, 2023
Next, The Countess of Wessex visited Heatherwood Hospital, where she opened Frimley Health’s new centre of excellence for non-emergency care.
HRH took the opportunity to speak to staff at the hospital. (Royal Family).
HRH was given a tour of the new facilities at the hospital. (Royal Family).
Sophie toured new centre, which included visiting the hospital’s modern theatre, the day case ‘pods’, the ophthalmology department and an inpatient ward. Her Royal Highness met nurses, health assistants and service chiefs, patients and finished the visit by unveiling a plaque.
She was also presented with a birthday card.
Frimley Health, which is Heatherwood Hospital’s NHS Trust, has a close connection to the Countess, as Sophie gave birth to both her children at Frimley Park Hospital, also part of the healthcare trust.
