Two new major overseas tours announced for Edward and Sophie

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will carry out major overseas visits to Papua New Guinea and Japan next month, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Prince Edward will travel to Papua New Guinea from 14 to 17 September to represent King Charles III at events marking the country’s 50th anniversary of independence from Australia.

His programme will include attending a dawn flag-raising ceremony and a State Dinner, presenting new Regimental Colours to the First Royal Pacific Islands Regiment, and awarding 50th Independence Anniversary Medals on behalf of the King to citizens who have made significant contributions to the nation. The Duke will also open the new National Court Complex and meet local communities in Port Moresby.

From 18 to 22 September, Edward and Sophie will travel to Japan, with engagements in Osaka and Tokyo aimed at strengthening the UK–Japan relationship. Their schedule will focus on youth opportunity, sustainability and innovation, education, and women in leadership. The couple will also visit the UK and Japanese Pavilions at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, a major international event expected to attract millions of visitors.

The visits come during a year in which the Duchess of Edinburgh has taken on a more prominent international role for the monarchy. In July, she travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, where she read a personal message from the King and met survivors and bereaved families. Earlier this September, she visited Alberta, Canada, holding meetings with Indigenous leaders, youth organisations and community groups.

The Duke last visited Japan in 2004, while this will be the Duchess’s first official trip to the country. The King most recently visited Japan in 2019, as Prince of Wales.