First UK royal family visit to Baghdad is made by the Duchess of Edinburgh

 The Duchess of Edinburgh traveled to Baghdad for the first time on behalf of sexual assault victims—a first for the British royal family.

She stayed in the Iraqi capital for two days, visiting a girls' school and having meetings with the president and prime minister of the nation. Security concerns necessitated that the journey be unannounced.

She spoke at the annual Women's Voices First Conference to encourage women's involvement in peacemaking.

The duchess's travel companion for most of the trip, UK Ambassador Mark Bryson-Richardson, complimented her for becoming the first member of the British royal family to visit Baghdad.

The duchess has always advocated for gender equality, and on March 8, 2019, International Women's Day, she unveiled a plan to aid the UN mission for women, peace, and security. She spoke with children at the Hitten Girls' School in Baghdad about education and her goals for the future.

During the trip, she also visited a family planning clinic and met top female business executives. Iraq's First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed attended her meeting with President Abdul Latif Rashid. According to Bryson-Richardson, the duchess sent King Charles' welcome to the Iraqi government, complementing the visit as "a sign of the strength of our bilateral relationship."

She is the first member of the British royal family to visit Baghdad, despite the fact that Charles and other family members had traveled to Iraq. During previous tours, the British military in Basra had received royal visits.