As an advocate of supporting people with disabilities, the Duchess of Edinburgh visited L’Arche, a learning disability centre in Norwood High Street, London, ahead of her 60th birthday.
L’Arche brings people together who are living with and without learning disabilities. The charity supports around 300 adults in 11 different community sites across the UK. Sophie’s visit marked the end of L’Arche’s Jubilee celebrations, following the opening of the charity’s first UK community centre in Kent 50 years ago.
The Duchess of Edinburgh during her visit to L’Arche London. (L’Arche)
The charitably-run centre’s services include a day activities and workshop programme for people with learning disabilities, but also supports people with learning disabilities at home, in and around West Norwood.
The Duchess was invited to visit the London branch of the L’Arche by Richard Keagan-Bull, after he observed Sophie dancing with people who had learning disabilities.
Supported by a another member from L’Arche, Richard wrote to Her Royal Highness a year ago, asking if she would come and see the charity and meet with people who are supported by the centre. Richard received a reply just before Christmas.
✨NEW PHOTO (engagement on the 15th of January)
The Duchess of Edinburgh visited @LArcheUK London yesterday 💙
It’s a community of people, including people with and without learning disabilities, support assistants, volunteers, friends and neighbours.
They sang Happy Birthday… pic.twitter.com/hCTkOtDZZH
— Mariana – The Edinburghs Fan Account (@Mari_Edinburghs) January 16, 2025
During the visit, The Duchess joined a Craft Workshop, which involved making candles. Sophie also took part in a ‘Power Cuppa’ session with tea, cake with residents, where the group discussed a wide range of topics with the Duchess. There was also a show-and-tell from residents, who were keen to share their favourite books, hobbies, and toy with Sophie.
Richard took the opportunity to give Sophie a copy of his book – Don’t Put Us Away – which talks about the lows and highs of life about a learning disability. The pair also discussed how those individuals living with can contribute to the world, making it a better place.
At the end of the visit, everyone sang Happy Birthday to The Duchess, alongside another resident, Sunta Costa, who was also marking her 68th birthday.
A new photograph of The Duchess of Edinburgh has been released ahead of her 60th birthday. (Royal Family)
To mark her 60th birthday, Buckingham Palace released three new photograph of The Duchess of Edinburgh.
The photographs were taken at Bagshot Park in January by Christina Ebenezer.
Accompanying the photographs, the Palace said that Sophie was ‘interested in Ebenezer’s creative style of photography and wanted to support a rising female photographer’.
