The Prince of Wales ‘wanted to visit Ukraine last year but was told it was too dangerous’, according to reports.
Earlier this week, the Duchess of Edinburgh became the first member of the royal family to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion more than two years ago. Although other members of the royal family have been forceful and explicit in their public messaging on Ukraine, the Duchess’s in person commitment took royal shows of support of Ukraine to a new realm. Sophie, 59, said that she travelled on Monday ‘to show her solidarity’ with the Ukrainians affected by the war.
The most important of her engagements was a meeting with Volodomyr Zelensky and Olena Zelenska, the President and First Lady of Ukraine. Upon meeting them she was able to deliver a personal message from the King. Later, the Duchess met up with survivors of sexual violence, displaced women and volunteers who were helping their communities in navigating the trauma of the invasion. Many of these volunteers were engaged in providing mental health support activities for children.
Yet it has now emerged that Prince William had hoped to visit Ukraine during a trip to see British troops in Poland last year. According to DailyMail, the Prince of Wales ‘wanted to cross the border and stand on Ukrainian soil, but it was ruled too dangerous.’
Prince William and Kate Middleton met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife, First Lady Olena Zelensky, at Buckingham Palace in 2020
WPA Pool/Getty Images
Prince William’s surprise trip to Poland last year saw him travel to Warsaw to thank British and Polish troops involved in the war in Ukraine. It was kept under wraps and only revealed by Kensington Palace after he had touched down in the country. ‘I just wanted to come here in person to thank you for all you are doing, keeping everyone safe out here and keeping an eye on what’s going on,’ the prince, 40, said in a speech to military personnel. ‘You’re doing a really important job out here and defending our freedoms is really important and everyone back home thoroughly supports you and everything you are doing with the Poles and our Polish counterparts in providing that safety is really important.’
The Royal Family, led by King Charles III, has been outspoken in its support for the Ukrainian people and have taken part in a number of engagements highlighting their cause. On the eve of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, the Princess of Wales held a meeting with the Ukrainian First Lady, Olena Zelenska, at Buckingham Palace. The Princess of Wales has also met with displaced Ukrainian families living in the UK. She also previously wore a Ukrainian flag on a visit to a cultural centre – a clear show of support.
In February last year, King Charles delivered a moving message of unity with Ukraine as the world marked a year since the Russian invasion. In unequivocal terms, the King condemned the ‘unprovoked full-scale attack’ by Vladimir Putin’s forces and praised the resilience of the Ukrainian people.
