The Goliath birdeater was resting on a leaf held by an Amazon guide (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)
Duchess Sophie encountered a Goliath birdeater, the world's largest tarantula, during a jungle trek in the Peruvian Amazon.
Initially showing apprehension, the Duchess later held the leaf containing the arachnid, described as the “king of spiders” with a leg span of nearly 30cm.
During her biodiversity walk, Sophie also held a green anaconda snake and photographed a sloth resting in the trees.
She visited an enormous Oje tree, standing among its twisted buttress roots and observing its towering trunk.
These encounters were part of her 10-day official visit to South and Central America, including Peru, Panama, Guatemala, and Belize, at the request of the Foreign Office.