Angelina Jolie Teams Up With British Royal Family Member Amid Drastic 'Maleficent' Makeover

Angelina Jolie and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, will be working together for an important cause.

Prince Edward's wife will join Jolie in her bid to help victims of conflict-related rape, sexual violence and exploitation. The Countess of Wessex will be working with the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI), which was set up by Jolie and former foreign secretary William Hague back in 2014, according to Daily Mail.

The initiative aims to tackle stigma, prevent conflict-related sexual violence and support survivors, including children born of wartime rape, around the world.

Sophie also wrote on The Telegraph that she will be working with Women, Peace and Security (WPS), which has been around for 20 years now. It focuses on the impact of armed conflict on women and girls and promotes the positive role women play in building peace and stability.

“Against a backdrop of ugly headlines for women, revelations of sexual exploitation, and the abuse suffered by those in war zones, it is easy to overlook the pioneering work of change-makers,” she said. “Brave women that stand for progress, even when their physical security and basic aspirations are under threat.”

“Only when women and men work alongside each other as equals will the world see sustained improvement in conflict resolution and a reduction in sexual violence in conflict," she continued.

Countess Sophie has more than 70 patronages and is an avid advocate of gender equality. As part of her cause, she founded the Women's Network Forum, which promotes women in the workplace, back in 2014.

According to the report, Sophie has been attending meetings, conferences and lectures during the past several months to find out more about the work of the PSVI and WPS. The countess also met Jolie at the PSVI's "Fighting Stigma Through Film" festival at the British Film Institute in London in November last year, People reported.

Sophie will be making an official announcement of her new patronages on Friday at a reception for "Women Peacebuilders" at Buckingham Palace.

Meanwhile, in 2012, Jolie was named special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She has served as a UN Goodwill ambassador since 2001.

Meanwhile, Disney has released a new poster for "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" featuring Jolie as the villainous Maleficent. The "Maleficent" sequel's premiere date has also been moved from its original schedule of May 29, 2020 to Oct. 18 this year.