PRINCE Harry has made a surprise visit to Ukraine as he pledges support for thousands injured in war.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, was invited to Kyiv by the Ukrainian government, and vowed he wanted to do “everything possible” to help rehabilitate veterans.
Prince Harry also visited the Superhuman Centre in Lviv in April[/caption]
The Duke has vowed to do ‘everything possible’ to help injured veterans[/caption]
It marks his second visit this year as part of his ongoing work for injured veterans[/caption]
Harry and a team from the Invictus Games Foundation are working on a strategy to support those affected by the three-year war with Russia.
As reported by the Guardian, there are already 130,000 people left struggling with disabilities as a result of the Ukraine war.
The Duke said: “We cannot stop the war but what we can do is do everything we can to help the recovery process.
“We can continue to humanise the people involved in this war and what they are going through. We have to keep it in the forefront of people’s minds.
“I hope this trip will help to bring it home to people because it’s easy to become desensitised to what has been going on.”
It comes after Harry visited the Superhumans Trauma Centre in Lviv in April.
He met the founder and CEO, Olga Rudnieva, once again in the States a few months ago and was invited to the Ukraine capital.
Harry said he “had to check with my wife and the British government” to have his trip cleared.
“In Lviv, you don’t see much of the war. It is so far west. This is the first time we will see the real destruction of the war,” he added.
The Duke is also set to visit the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War.
He is expected to meet with 200 veterans and the Ukrainian prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko.
The Invictus Games Foundation aims to provide rehabilitation support to those injured in the war, and also offer sports equipment more widely throughout Ukraine.
This comes after Harry loved his return to England this week, his spokesman revealed.
The Duke of Sussex flew home to the US after a four-day visit which included meeting his dad King Charles for the first time in 19 months on Wednesday.
Harry saw his father in Clarence House, London, after the King flew from Balmoral between three official audiences – before being pictured on his way back to Scotland.
The pair shared a “private tea”, which lasted 55 minutes – almost double the time Harry got last year.
William was not at the tea party as he was travelling back from an engagement in Wales.
CLEAR THE HEIR
By Amelia Morgan and Georgie English
A ROYAL expert has told that the King is following in the late Queen’s footsteps by stoically meeting with Harry despite all the damage he’s done.
The Sun’s royal expert praised the monarch’s efforts at reconciling with his estranged son in the meeting held yesterday evening.
This comes after King Charles, 76, met with Prince Harry, 40, for their first face-to-face chat in 19 months on Wednesday.
Royal historian, Hugo Vickers told The Sun: “I think the King has been brilliant at keeping the door open all this time.
“He’s never responded to any jives thrown against him.”
Mr Vickers continued: “It is very important for people in this world to conciliate.”
The expert explained that the King’s approach to the meeting echoes that of his mother.
He added that the late Queen’s message all through her reign was, “we cannot change the past, but we can build bridges to the future.”
Mr Vickers also told The Sun what he believes was discussed between the father and son during their 55 minute long reunion.
He said: “I am sure both of them will be feeling better for having had this meeting.
“Where it actually leads to, who knows? But it is a step in the right direction.
“I can see nothing except positive things out of the meeting.”
Mr Vickers also described Harry as having “a lot of emotional baggage.”
The expert said: “One of the problems I have always seen on this issue is that Prince Harry has been saying for a long time, oh, my family has to apologise to me.
“Well, that’s not how I see it. I think he has to apologise to them.
“He is the one who has been saying unpleasant things about them and making trouble. And they haven’t.”
On the possibility of returning to royal duties, Mr Vickers gave a definitive no, ruling out the prospect.
Mr Vickers told The Sun: “I don’t think he particularly wants to.
“And I think if he did, it would be a major distraction because everything that Prince Harry does attracts publicity.”
Harry had not seen Charles since he jetted back for 30 minutes last February, after the King’s cancer announcement.
After arriving late at a glitzy Invictus Games reception hours after the reunion, Harry said of the King, “yes he’s great, thank you”.
A spokesman for the Duke later revealed: “He’s obviously loved being back, catching up with old friends, colleagues and generally being able to support the incredible work of the causes that mean so much to him.”
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said the reunion showed the King’s “soft side”.
She told The Sun: “Charles had to see his son at some point.
“He isn’t going to get any younger and he wants to meet his grandchildren as a family man and father.
“For this entire trip, Harry has been trying very hard to get on everyone’s good side with events and donations.
“Part of their meeting must have just been to break the ice. That he is willing to welcome Prince Harry shows Charles’ soft side.
“It’s difficult to have an in depth conversation if you haven’t seen someone for so long… when you haven’t spoken for 19 months.
“It’s still a positive step, but a necessary step.”
Harry ended this trip at the Diana Award in central London.
The charity, founded in memory of his mum, supports young people’s mental health and tackles bullying.
Speaking to the panel, he said: “You talk about the mental health piece that is woven through so much of this and it’s emotional.
“In every single Diana awardee, in every single young, middle-aged person and probably old person as well, our mental health is being tested every single day.
“And this proven model of being engaged with or finding your purpose with social action, it really does work. You have the hope.
“My point is, if you’re a young person it can sometimes feel as though you are lost and separated from a group and you feel isolated.
“But I can assure you that there’s nothing wrong with you. And there’s nothing wrong with young people out there.
“It is the society that we’ve allowed to be created around you.”
Meanwhile, Princess Kate got hands on at a silk factory as the King jetted back to Scotland following his bombshell Harry meeting.
The Princess of Wales couldn’t stop smiling during her trip to family-run Marina Mill in Cuxton, Kent.
Kate enthusiastically helped create a screen print alongside the close knit team, with the firm specialising in furnishing fabrics, including by hand.
ARTHUR EDWARDS: ‘I’m really pleased Harry finally got to see his dad after 18 months – & here’s first thing I hope he did’
I AM really pleased Harry finally got to see his father after more than 18 months apart.
And I hope the first thing Harry did was apologise for all the terrible things he’s done, that he has written and spoken about his family.
I know that the King is a spiritual person and that forgiveness is important.
Last night’s meeting was not very long but I hope that during their short time together the King Charles was able to make big strides towards forgiving his son.
I really hope that one day will Harry come back to here and start working again for the Royal Family.
Because in the last three days, when he went to his charity Well Child and in Nottingham Harry has proved that he is still very much loved.
And the fact that he’s donated well over a million pounds of his own money out of his own pocket to a charities, including Children in Need, is proof to me that he is serious about trying to make amends.
I believe Harry is finally realising that he’s happiest when he’s in Britain.
In America he’s just another celebrity but here he is somebody important.
If the King forgives him and Camilla forgives him I think the people will eventually forget about the hurt he has caused.
It is going to be tough for Harry and that means no more books, no more Netflix shows and I hope he finally realises that.
Whether Meghan can come back to the UK, that is going to be difficult.
But it would be lovely for the King to spend time with his American grandchildren.
However, a meeting with William may be a step too far after all the bad blood that has past between them and the hurt he has caused Catherine.
It may be a long time to wait but I live in hope.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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