The Duchess of Edinburgh, the wife of Britain’s Prince Philip, made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Wednesday as part of her support of British forces in the country.
The royal couple’s office said the Duchess, who is also known as Queen Elizabeth’s consort, flew into Iraq from Kuwait and had lunch with British troops stationed in the country.
She praised their efforts to “help promote peace and stability” during her brief visit, which included a visit to an Army medical centre.
The Duchess, who has often supported her husband’s charity efforts in the Middle East, was accompanied by Air Commodore Mark Lowerson, the British senior imperial representative with the British Ministry of Defence in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
The Duchess has said she is “delighted” to show her support and appreciation for the hard work that British forces have done in Iraq during her visit.