Duchess Sophie's trip abroad after Scottish break revealed

The Duchess of Edinburgh's autumn diary is filling up fast.

Sophie, 60, is expected to travel to Alberta, in western Canada on 4 September.

HELLO! understands that her long-haul visit will include a visit to Spruce Meadows alongside a wider programme of engagements.

The show jumping venue announced that the Duchess had become its patron in April.

Spruce Meadows President and CEO Linda Southern-Heathcott said in a statement at the time: "My family and I, together with all the people who make up Spruce Meadows, are deeply honoured that Her Royal Highness has taken on Spruce Meadows as a Royal Patronage.  

"The Duchess of Edinburgh is a wonderful example of grace, leadership, and dedication - and is someone for whom I have great personal admiration. The Royal patronage is a true gift, as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary and look ahead to a meaningful future, continuing our expansion into a full-scale Sports and Entertainment District for all to enjoy."

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Sophie and her husband, Prince Edward, previously visited the venue in 2006, and the Duchess holds a number of equestrian roles, including Royal Vice President of the Royal Windsor Horse Show and President of the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials.

The late Queen Elizabeth II also visited Spruce Meadows in 1990 to inaugurate an event in her name.

 The Duchess of Edinburgh last visited Canada in 2023, carried out a week-long trip with engagements in Ontario, St Catharines and Toronto.

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 Her upcoming overseas visit will come after the royal family enjoy a reunion at the King's Scottish residence, Balmoral, this August.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their children, Lady Louise Windsor, 21, and James, Earl of Wessex, 17, are likely to be among the family members to join the King and Queen.

Royal visits to Canada

Sophie will be the latest member of the British royal family to visit Canada, which is a constitutional monarchy.

In June, Edward marked the 150^th anniversary of the Prince Edward Island Regiment and attended Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa.

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In May, the King and Queen undertook a historic trip to Ottawa, where Charles met with new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, and opened the 45^th Parliament, delivering a speech in both French and English.

As HELLO!'s Online Royal Correspondent, I was one of a small group of reporters who joined Charles and Camilla on their whirlwind visit.

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And while it was brief, you could tell how important this visit was to the King through his warm interactions with everyone he met, from MPs to the public. 

After the monarch's reunion with the Coronation Girls at Rideau Hall, Carol Shipley, who was among 50 young women from across Canada to travel to London for the late Queen's coronation in 1953, spoke about the significance of the royal visit.

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She told me: "I'm very happy that the King came, particularly at this time in our history when we are striving for our sovereignty.

"I think he’s a good king, we need leaders like him. He's a force for good."