The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh's return to their royal duties is off to an exciting start. After spending time with Prince Edward's brother, King Charles, at Balmoral over the summer, the couple have headed to the Paris 2024 Paralympics to show their support for British athletes.

Edward and Sophie flew from London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday morning to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, where they were met by His Majesty's Ambassador to the French Republic, Her Excellency Dame Menna Rawlings. Mena later shared a photograph with the royals on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing Sophie wearing a navy blazer over a blue and white floral midi dress with white trainers, while her husband Edward donned a navy jacket over a blue checked shirt with grey trousers.

"Delighted to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh to France for the @Paris2024 #Paralympic Games. Their Royal Highnesses will be supporting @paralympicsGB as Patrons of #BritishParalympicAssociation, @BritishCycling and @GBhockey," Menna wrote.

The Duke and Duchess joined the ambassador in the stands at the wheelchair fencing event, where they supported fencer Oliver Lam Watson. Edward and Sophie also visited athletes at the Paralympic Village, according to the Court Circular. Joining the royal couple on their trip is their private secretary, Brigadier Alexander Potts, and assistant private secretary, Jason Keen.

The Duke and Duchess' daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, 20, is set to return to St Andrews University for the third year of her English degree in the coming weeks, while their son, James, Earl of Wessex, is likely to have started studying for his A-Levels. James, 16, received his GCSE exam results last month but Buckingham Palace did not share his grades. Lady Lousie and James are not expected to carry out royal duties in future.

Sophie's appearance at the Paralaympics comes just weeks after she also attended the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she was seen celebrating Team GB's female cyclists winning their first gold medal at the Bercy Arena. There’s a reason the royals have their own box. Whether it’s Wimbledon or Wembley, Ascot or the Olympics – when a representative of the crown, typically on a diplomatic outing, attends an event on an international scale, it helps to be able to see whatever it is that’s going on. But when Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, were cheering on Team GB at the Paralympics in Paris this week, the King’s brother found out the hard way that even the monarchy can suffer the minor irritations of stadium antics.

The pair were getting in the Team GB spirit at the Grand Palais, where they sat in the audience to cheer on wheelchair fencer Oliver Lam Watson. While Sophie went full force, shouting her support as she waved the team flag with British Ambassador to France, Mena Rawlings and Chief Executive of Paralympics GB, David Clarke, her husband had a slightly more trying time with things. The Duke of Edinburgh happened to be sitting directly behind a particularly tall Team France supporter. The six-foot royal spent the match craning his neck around this particularly towering Frenchman.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh cheered on Team GB at the Paralympic Games this week, but Prince Edward struggled to keep his eyes on the prize. The Duke and Duchess were able to see British wheelchair fencer Oliver Lam Watson as he faced off against Richard Hun Osvath from Hungary at the Grand Palais, one of the favourite Olympic and Paralympic venues this summer. Although Lam Watson unfortunately lost his Category A match, Edward and Sophie looked to be having a great time. They were sitting with both David Clarke, the Chief Executive of Paralympics GB, and Menna Rawlings, the British Ambassador to France. Sophie happily waved a Union Flag with Clarke and Rawlings during the match.

Delighted to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh to France for the @Paris2024 #Paralympic Games. Their Royal Highnesses will be supporting @paralympicsGB as Patrons of #BritishParalympicAssociation, @BritishCycling and @GBhockey pic.twitter.com/AwG0IiuHvD

The Duke and Duchess were also able to see Dimitri Coutya win the Gold Medal in Men’s Wheelchair Fencing- Category B for Team GB. Last week, The Duke of Edinburgh shared a message for Team GB’s Paralympic athletes heading to Paris with this post on X, saying ”To all members of the @ParalympicsGB team heading for Paris, whether athletes, officials or staff, I want to wish you the very best of luck at the Paralympic Games.” Prince Edward first became Patron of the British Paralympic Association in 2003 and has continued to show his support for British Paralympians.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are in Paris earlier to support Team GB at multiple events. Restricted view aside, Prince Edward and Sophie seemed to be having a brilliant time in Paris, where they were acting as patrons of the British Paralympic Association, British Cycling, and GB Hockey. The eventual result may not have gone the way of the British athlete, who was narrowly defeated by Richard Hun Osvath in the third round of competition, but the royals looked like they were enjoying a hearty conversation with their hosts. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh wore a chic navy blazer for the event, paired with a floral tea dress by royal favourite Suzannah London.

Sophie has truly been a champion of Team GB this summer, flying out to Paris to support the nation’s athletes at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In August, the mother-of-two was seen cheering as Britain’s cycling team made history, smashing the women's team sprint world record and securing the gold medal at the Bercy Arena. Video showed Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh – sporting a friendship bracelet, as has become something of a royal trend recently reacting with sheer delight to Emma Finucane, Sophie Capewell and Katy Marchant’s monumental win.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh celebrates a new team sprint world recrod from GB's cyclists at the Olympic Games in Paris

And while Prince Edward hadn’t been by her side at the cycling, the pair were soon reunited for a date night at Wembley Park Theatre, where they stepped out to attend a special performance of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Starlight Express. The Duchess donned a gold Matelier dress, pairing the gown with Jimmy Choo champagne wedge sandals and a simple black handbag. Sophie swept her hair back into a low bun to show off a set of golden Giulia Barela earrings. Meanwhile Prince Edward was smart in black blazer and royal blue tie. The Duke of Edinburgh is the patron of the disability charity The Orpheus Centre, which the show was performed in support of.