Source: This is London
Sophie follows in Diana's footsteps
By Robert Jobson, Evening Standard Royal Correspondent
8 April 2004
The Countess of Wessex is following in the footsteps of Princess Diana to promote a leading charity in Africa.
She is expected to travel to Tanzania in the summer - leaving behind her sevenmonthold daughter, Lady Louise, and husband Prince Edward.
This will be Sophie's first solo working trip since she married into the Royal Family and follows an approach to promote the charity World Vision by one of Diana's closest charity associates, Mike Whitlam.
Sophie was seriously ill after her daughter was born and was separated from her for more than six days as she recovered from an emergency caesarean operation.
After the birth of Lady Louise last November, the 39-year-old Countess announced she would not be carrying out any official duties while she and her daughter bonded.
Now she is understood to be ready to carry out royal duties again and one source said today: "The Countess always said she would go back to work for the Royal Family when the time was right.
"Thousands are needlessly left blind every year and she hopes her voice and patronage can help raise awareness of their plight," the source added.
The trip - which is still at the planning stage - marks an important step for the Countess, who until now has only ever travelled abroad with her husband. Sophie has rarely been seen in public since becoming a mother - only pictured at the Queen's party at the Ritz and at a party at Buckingham Palace for working women.
When she married she said she intended to carry on as a working woman. At first she headed her own PR agency, until she was forced to abandon her commercial business interests after an undercover reporter recorded her making embarrassing comments about the Royal Family and the Prime Minister.
As a result, she agreed to work only on official royal business.
Before she fell pregnant, she agreed to be patron for Orbis, the flying eye hospital, which she hoped would show her as a serious royal.
The charity - which once approached Diana to spearhead its work - flies surgeons to underdeveloped countries to train local doctors to carry out routine eye operations. The plane is also equipped with operating theatres.
An insider said: "Obviously Sophie will miss her daughter badly, but she thinks this is a very important issue and wants to help in any way she can."
Diana travelled extensively in Africa, meeting Aids victims and campaigning against land mines.
This is London
I'AM SO GLAD THAT THE COUNTESS OF WESSEX DID NOT CUT HER HAIR AFTER SHE HAD LADY LOUISE. AND THAT PINK GALE SHE HAD ON AT THE RITZ WAS BEAUTIFUL.
