The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led the Royal Family tributes today to inspiring female figures in honour of International Women’s Day.
Prince William and Kate Middleton took to their Kensington Royal Instagram page to celebrate the achievements made by the women they had met over the last year, including Eileen Fenton MBE – the first woman to complete the Cross Channel Swimming Race in 1950.
Sharing a series of images, the caption read: ‘Today is #InternationalWomensDay! To mark the day we are celebrating some of the remarkable and inspiring women we have met over the last year.’
The royal couple also gave the women of the SOS Children’s Village in Lahore, Pakistan, staff at Kingston Hospital’s Maternity Unit and Holocaust survivor Yvonne Bernstein a shout out for their ‘inspiring’ achievements.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took to their Instagram page to celebrate the achievements made by women including Eileen Fenton MBE (pictured) who was the first woman to complete the Cross Channel Swimming Race in 1950
The royal couple celebrated the work being carried out by the women of the SOS Children’s Village in Lahore, Pakistan, whom they visited last year
Also recognised by Prince William and Kate Middleton were staff at Kingston Hospital’s Maternity Unit
Paying homage to the ‘inspiring’ women, the couple wrote: ‘The women of the SOS Children’s Village in Lahore, Pakistan: where staff provide children, deprived of their natural parents, with an environment which is as close as possible to a natural home, along with loving care, security, higher education and job-training.
‘Eileen Fenton MBE: Eileen was the first woman, at the age of 21, to complete the Cross Channel Swimming Race in 1950, and went on to train scores of first-class long distance and sprint swimmers.
‘The incredible staff at Kingston Hospital’s Maternity Unit: their philosophy of care is to ensure women are at the centre of their service.’
Yvonne Bernstein, 82, who was photographed with her granddaughter Chloe by the Duchess for a portrait series this year to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, was also celebrated by the couple.
Also being celebrated was Holocaust survivor Yvonne Bernstein, 82, who was photographed with her granddaughter Chloe by the Duchess to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz this year
Yvonne was hidden as a child in France throughout most of the Second World War by her uncle, who was later was seized and murdered for shielding her, during the Nazi’s reign of terror.
On their Instagram page the couple continued: ‘Yvonne Bernstein: Yvonne was a hidden child in France, travelling in the care of her aunt and uncle and frequently changing homes and names.
‘The Duchess photographed Yvonne Bernstein with her granddaughter Chloe earlier this year as part of the commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust.’
Also marking International Women’s Day was the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, whose post ‘shined a light on survivors of domestic abuse around the world’.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall (pictured centre at the Battered Women’s Trust in New Zealand last year) also took to Instagram to mark International Women’s Day
The royals said they wanted to share ‘a light on survivors of domestic abuse around the world’
Their message comes days after Camilla delivered a speech on the worldwide issue of domestic abuse at the Women of the World Festival at the Southbank Centre in London.
A message on the Clarence House Instagram page read: ‘Today on International Women’s Day, we are shining a light on survivors of domestic abuse around the world.
‘The Duchess of Cornwall has been raising awareness about the issue of domestic violence for over 10 years and has visited many domestic violence refuges in the UK and overseas.
‘At a reception to mark the 15th anniversary of last month, HRH said: “With each story that is told, the taboo around domestic abuse weakens and the silence that surrounds it is broken, so other sufferers can know that there is hope for them and they are not alone.”
‘During a visit to the Battered Women’s Trust in New Zealand last year, HRH was presented with a refuge diamond pin, which is given to people who have provided service to the movement for many years.’
Camilla, who has visited many domestic violence refuges in the UK and overseas, recently spoke out against the problem of domestic violence
The Duchess of Cornwall (at the Commonwealth Women’s Forum) has been raising awareness about the issue of domestic violence for over ten years
Joining the Royal Family in honouring the females who had inspired her was Princess Eugenie, who said she wanted the women in her life to ‘know how special and amazing they are’ – including her mother Sarah Ferguson and sister Princess Beatrice.
Taking to her Instagram Stories, the princess wrote: ‘Today and every day I celebrate women. On International Women’s Day 2020, I wanted to share with you some of the women that have and do inspire me.
‘I want them to know how special and amazing they are. Why don’t we all tell the incredible women in our life that we think they are awesome?’
She said her ‘beautiful mumma’ has been a ‘constant inspiration’ to her since the day she was born. Eugenie added: ‘She has taught me so much of what it is to feel empowered as a woman.’
Joining the Royal Family in honouring inspiring females was Princess Eugenie who said she wanted the women in her life to ‘know how special and amazing they are’
Taking to her Instagram Stories, Princess Eugenie paid tribute to her mother Sarah Ferguson (left) and sister Beatrice (right)
The princess also paid tribute to Alok Mitra (left), founder of the Women’s Interlink Foundation, and Dr Olivia Chapple (right) who continued her son’s dream of creating gardens in spinal units after his death in 2011
‘What can I say – she’s the greatest and has been there for me since I was born. Beatrice has been an inspirational big sister since 1990.’
Eugenie also paid tribute to the founder of the Women’s Interlink Foundation, Alok Mitra, and Dr Olivia Chapple who continued her son’s dream of creating gardens in spinal units after his death in 2011.
She continued: ‘Alok Mitra founded Women’s Interlink Foundation in 1990. She has been fighting for women’s rights since then and she brought human trafficking to my attention when I visited her in 2012.
‘Dr Olivia Chapple continued her son’s dream of creating gardens in spinal units after he tragically died in 2011.
Also being honoured by the royal was Baroness Lola Young who has been fighting against trafficking for years
‘The charity is called Horatio’s Garden in honour of his memory and I am proud to work with her and the team.’
The royal, who in 2018 married her husband Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, completed her tribute by honouring her grandmother the Queen in a heartfelt message which read: ‘Her Majesty The Queen, my grandmother, has dedicated her life to so many others.
‘She has taught me so much by her wonderful example.’
The princess paid tribute to Myrna Whiteson and her husband Adrian( (left) who founded the Teenage Cancer Trust in 1990 and Mags McHugh (right) who was her nurse at the Royal National Orthapaedic Hospital
The princess ended her tribute by paying homage the queen who she said had taught her ‘so much’ by ‘wonderful example’
Meghan Markle shared two posts to mark the occasion; one was a behind-the-scenes video from her visit to a school in East London on Friday.
The Duchess of Sussex, 38, made the surprise engagement at the Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham and urged schoolboys to ‘protect the women in your lives’.
The video showed Meghan, wearing black and tan shoes, black trousers, a white blouse and a cream blazer, being given a tour of the comprehensive school and interacting with pupils.
It was accompanied by the child-oriented gospel song This Little Light of Mine, the lyrics of which go: ‘This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.’
The Sussexes also shared a series of unseen photos from the visit, and praised those who ‘had the strength to stand up for something that they knew needed to be done’.
The Duchess shared a series of unseen photographs from the visit on Friday, which was one of her last official engagements before stepping down
In the post, the Duchess advocated women who ‘stand up for something that they knew needed to be done’
Meghan Markle, 38, shared a series of unseen images on the Sussex Royal Instagram today from her surprise visit to Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham, East London on Friday (pictured)