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Sophie visits British-built world's oldest gunboat during visit to Peru

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The Duchess of Edinburgh on board the B.A.P America (the oldest river gunboat in the world, built in Liverpool in 1904) during a visit to Iquitos Naval Base in Peru
The Duchess of Edinburgh on board the B.A.P America (the oldest river gunboat in the world, built in Liverpool in 1904) during a visit to Iquitos Naval Base in Peru. Picture: Alamy

By StephenRigley

The Duchess of Edinburgh toured a boat built in the UK more than a century ago on the second day of her visit to Peru.

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Sophie is in Peru as part of a visit to South and Central America, which also includes stops in Panama, Guatemala and Belize.

During a visit to the Iquitos Naval Base on Wednesday, she was shown around the BAP America, which is the oldest river gunboat in the world.

The Duchess of Edinburgh with a local tour guide hold a Green Anaconda snake in the Peruvian Amazon
The Duchess of Edinburgh with a local tour guide hold a Green Anaconda snake in the Peruvian Amazon. Picture: Alamy

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Built in Birkenhead in 1904, the ship served in the Peruvian navy's Amazon flotilla and has been on show at a museum since 2015.

On the first day of her visit, the duchess met women from the indigenous Awajun, Shipibo-Konibo and Kukama Kukamiria tribes who have played a role in defending women's rights.

She heard how they have taken on leadership roles and their contributions to territorial governance and tackling environmental crime and climate change.

The duchess also attended a dinner marking the UK's first year of implementing a biodiverse landscape programme.

The fund is designed for sustainable production and bio-business in the Andes and Amazon regions.