Prince Harry appeared to make a subtle tribute to his wife Meghan Markle as he gave a heartfelt speech during his trip to Ukraine.The Duke of Sussex travelled to Kyiv at the invitation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Olga Rudneva, CEO of the Superhumans Centre, leading a delegation from the Invictus Games Foundation.
Harry, a British Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, is the founder of the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style event designed to inspire military veterans around the world as they work to overcome battlefield injuries. Ukraine is bidding to host the games in 2029. This is the second time Harry has visited Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion in 2022. He made a trip to the western city of Lviv in April.
On Friday, Prince Harry joined a panel discussion at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, where he sent a tribute that, according to a statement, “extended beyond the battlefield”.
The Duke honoured “the wives and mothers who keep their loved ones on the straight and narrow, they deserve as much respect as anyone who serves,” in what could be seen as recognising the impact of military service beyond individual soldiers but also as a sweet tribute to Meghan Markle, who has been looking after their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet back in Montecito, California, for the last week while the Duke’s been away.
During the panel, Harry gave some heartfelt advice to all those transitioning out of military service.
He said: “You will feel lost at times, like you lack purpose, but however dark those days are, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“You just need to look for it, because there will always be someone – a mother, father, sibling, friend, or comrade – there to pick you up.”
He urged people do not stay silent and speak about their concerns.
The Duke said: “Don’t stay silent. Silence will hold you in the dark. Open up to your friends and family, because in doing so you give them permission to do the same.”
Harry also met privately – and separately – with Prime Minister Svyrydenko, as well as Ukraine’s minister for Veterans Affairs, Natalia Kalmykova, to discuss ways the Invictus Games Foundation and the broader international community can enhance support for wounded, injured, and sick serving personnel and veterans returning home with life-changing injuries.
He also visited Maidan Square, where he laid a wreath to honour all those lost in service.
The Duke sent a strong message to all those affected, saying: “You are not forgotten, your journey matters, and the international community stands ready to support your path to recovery.”
The statement concluded that the Duke’s visit highlighted how “healing encompasses not just medical treatment, but community support, international solidarity, and the unwavering belief that every veteran’s recovery journey deserves comprehensive support and recognition.”
