Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex Visit Sri Lanka’s Schools for Deaf and Blind

As part of a five-day tour of Sri Lanka, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Wessex visited schools for the deaf and blind near the capital Colombo.

The visit was made to mark the country’s 70th year of independence from Britain, with the royals acting as representatives for the Queen during the anniversary.

On day three of their tour, the couple visited the Ceylon School for the Deaf and Blind, located near Colombo’s city centre.

The prince was dressed in a slick grey suit, complemented by a stylish white fedora to help fight off the sun.

Sophie, on the other hand, was dressed in an elegant and airy white dress, with a belt across her waist completing a classy look.

The prince looked relaxed while Sophie was resplendent in her attire.

The photos captured the moment when the prince cut a red ribbon with the dignified Sophie watching on serenely.

The royals were surrounded by a flock of eager locals and could be seen smiling and chatting with the schoolchildren.

The prince watched on as some of the schoolchildren played chess, and he even had a ceremonial wreath draped around his neck as part of an adoring reception.

Earlier in the week, the royals were snapped enjoying a tour of the Paradenia Royal Botanical Garden in Kendi, in the south of the tropical country.

On that Thursday, a smiling Sophie, 53, kept cool in a long-sleeved white top to take in the scenery.

Their trip coincided with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s high-profile tour to Sweden and Norway, which drew to a close on Friday.

On day one of their five-day trip, Prince Edward and Sophie sat in a golf buggy for a tour of the picturesque surroundings in Kendi.

Edward was dapper in a suit and tie, while Sophie wore a long-sleeved shirt and linen trousers.

For Sophie, the trip comes hot on the heels of her solo visit to Bangladesh at the end of 2017.