Duchess Sophie Announces Her New Royal Role With a Special Portrait that Ties to Princess Kate—And a Surprising Nail Color

Duchess Sophie is one of the hardest working members of the Royal Family, and she’s now taken on a patronage with a very personal meaning. On August 17, Buckingham Palace announced that the Duchess of Edinburgh has been named the new patron of Visualise Scotland, a charity that helps adults living with visual impairment and other disabilities in the Edinburgh region.

To mark the occasion, Sophie posed for a new portrait snapped by Millie Pilkington, a photographer that often takes pictures for Prince William, Princess Kate and their children. In another tie to the Princess of Wales, Duchess Sophie wore an elegant ivory dress by Beulah London, one of their shared favorite brands.

The duchess chose a trumpet-sleeved ivory design she’s worn previously, with the dress featuring long, flared sleeves and button detail marching down the skirt. Princess Kate has worn a similar green version of the dress, but hers included slimmer long sleeves.

Sophie accessorized the dress with her Chopard diamond circle pendant and a pair of gold hoops, but it was her nail polish that stood out in the photo.

Members of the Royal Family often go without polish or choose barely-there colors, but the Duchess of Edinburgh wore a dark, plummy brown shade in her portrait that's perfect for fall.

Visualise Scotland's mission is deeply personal to the duchess. When Sophie's eldest child, Lady Louise, was born, she was diagnosed with an eye condition called esotropia, which was corrected with surgery when she was a child. The Duchess of Edinburgh has made preventable blindness one of the causes she's championed over the years, and she holds a role as global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.

As for her new manicure, fingers crossed for more bold shades from Sophie this fall.