In April 2024, the Duchess of Edinburgh became the first British royal to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion. Sophie’s visit lasted for a few days, and she met with Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska and there were some photo-ops at various sites. Then, in April of this year, Prince Harry visited Ukraine at the invitation of the country’s veterans affairs minister and the director of the Superhumans Center. Harry stayed out of Kyiv for that visit, but it was still a really big deal and the British media had a f–king meltdown over it. Prince William also had a meltdown, and he rushed around, screaming that HE wanted to go to Ukraine as well but he was advised that it was too dangerous. Then, on September 12, Prince Harry made his second visit to Ukraine, this time traveling into Kyiv. He met with veterans, he paid his respects at the Alley of Heroes and he visited many bombed-out sites across the city. He likely met one-on-one with President Zelensky, but the British government pressured Zelensky and Harry to not publicize the meeting or reveal any photos. Now, just weeks later, the Windsors sent Princess Anne to copy her nephew.
The Princess Royal met with Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Ukraine. During her trip, which took place at the request of the Foreign Office, Princess Anne highlighted the “traumatic experiences” of children living on the front line of the conflict, and spoke to the Ukrainian president about the UK’s ongoing support for Ukraine. The 75-year-old is the third senior royal to visit the war-torn country since Russia invaded it more than three years ago.
Princess Anne made the visit to Kyiv on Tuesday to “demonstrate solidarity” with Ukrainian children and families affected by the conflict. She shook hands with Mr Zelensky, who told her, “You’re very welcome”, to which the Princess Royal replied: “You’re very kind. I don’t know how you have time to spare but there you go.” The pair discussed the UK’s support for Ukraine and the country’s ongoing resistance. Princess Anne handed Mr Zelensky a sealed envelope with a red royal crest on the back, which probably contained a personal letter from the King.
After their meeting, she paid her respects at the Children’s Memorial with Olena Zelenska, the Ukrainian first lady. She left a teddy at the memorial, which commemorates the hundreds of children who have died since the invasion began in February 2022, saying her daughter Zara Tindall had the same bear.
As the Princess Royal stepped back after placing the teddy at the base of the memorial alongside the scores of other cuddly toys, she told Mrs Zelenska: “That was one that my daughter had.”
The first lady, who had also left a bear in tribute and looked emotional during the visit, turned to Princess Anne and nodded solemnly at the gesture. The Princess Royal also met female police and armed forces representatives in the capital to hear about their role in protecting women and children amid the war and heard from children at the Child Rights Protection Centre, who have been returned to Ukraine, to learn about their reintegration.
Do you think the Foreign Office genuinely invited ANNE to visit Ukraine? And when do you think this request was made? This has the feel of the Windsors throwing a tantrum over Harry’s positive Ukrainian reception. This has the feel of the British government trying to overshadow or cancel out Harry’s most recent visit too. It’s curious though – why didn’t William go? Would it have been too obvious that he was copying his brother? Did the Foreign Office want William to go? Was William invited but he said no because he’s too lazy?
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Ukraine couldn’t provide 150 acres of safe space around Willy at all times so he couldn’t go.
Epic insight! 🤣🤣 @smartypants You win for comment otd.
Hahahah, truth.
Clean up on aisle 7 after entertaining the American dictator.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Princess Anne, who is well past retirement age still works, but was the trip because of Harry going, They did have different interests, Princess Anne the children and Harry the Vets.
Seriously?! The foreign office requested Anne? Security risks aside, is it not odd that the foreign office is sending the what, 12th in line, to meet with foreign leaders in active war zones? I don’t think that this is necessarily the royal family being upset about Harry’s trip, because the Zelensky’s have been to the UK before and Sophie has been to Ukraine before. Edward and Sophie spend more time overseas now on tours than in the UK. What is WRONG with William??
This isn’t laziness alone. And he doesn’t care about copying Harry, he’d just have the British media pretend that it’s a coincidence or that it matters more that he went than Harry did. The foreign office is sending his aunts and uncle on these tours, because he’s either too lazy to go, too incompetent not to cause some sort of diplomatic issue, makes poor decisions that would open him up to blackmail, or a combination of all three.
The FO requested A after the palace requested the FO request A.
I think that the answer would be that as the heir he is too precious, but there is another heir, George, but the proper person to be regent if William died would be Harry, the next grown up heir.
Harry has his own family in the USA and there are others who could be regent
You can’t decline being the Regent, you can only be removed. And Harry is the next in line to be regent. If they removed him the next would be Andrew. It’s all officially proscribed.
They know she won’t f*ck it up.
The press and palaces will claim he can’t be sent because he’s the precious heir.
The truth is that he’s an intellectually incurious, anthropomorphic fart who can’t be trusted to carry on a simple, coherent conversation in a diplomatic context any more than Kate can.
To trot the Waleses out risks them showing their arses (pun intended) to the whole world. Again.
And that is before we even delve into the issue of their current collective mental stability.
If someone was brave enough to send William to an active war zone they could potentially solve lots of problems for the UK monarchy.
Peggs had thoseschool runs and could not possibly miss that. Plus the hunting parties
Someone from the Ukraine said that no one there knows Princess Anne.
And truthfully no one cares about her outside of the rota, and even then I doubt people do anything but scroll past her articles… the fact that the elderly aunt went and not Peggy makes peg look even more cowardly than we already know he is..
If they really want to overshadow Harry, sending Anne isn’t the way to do it.
I tend to agree, which is why I think that isn’t what’s going on here. Anne’s visit was focused on children and she’s been reppin’ for Save The Children for decades. It’s work which has taken her all over the world but never tends to get much publicity.
I think this has more to do with poking W with a stick, again:
“Your aunt, who is in her 70s and had a traumatic head injury last year, can haul ass to Kyiv, how about you?”
“Well, I would LOVE to obviously, but there’s the school run, picking out curtains for the new gaff, and those Aston Villa fan forum posts won’t answer themselves you know!”
“Right.”
Yes, I think it’s a combo of that, but also that they really can’t afford to lose William. It would be a mess if Charles kicks it and they’re left with a regency for George. Not that they couldn’t muddle through, but why bother when sending William to Ukraine isn’t necessary?
I agree, I don’t really think this had a lot to do with Harry’s visit, especially since we know the Foreign Office knew about that. They didn’t throw this visit together for Anne in the last two weeks. Maybe the Firm did know about harry’s visit months ago and planned this to come closely after but nothing Anne does upstages or takes anything away from Harry and the firm knows that and the british government knows that. But I do think that a perk for this for the Firm is that its going to get under William’s skin and its clear he and Charles are on the outs right now. William was meeting with Saudi princes in a palace and knighting Gary Oldman while Anne is in Ukraine.
I get why they wont send William in theory but at the same time its kind of hilarious that all the other royals are going and he’s home avoiding work.
Yeah. It’s not the same as Harry going. Maybe the RF did see Harry and think they too need to send someone to Kyiv. I just can’t temper if Sophie had been to Kyiv already or to other parts of Ukraine.
Peggs is unreliable . Anne does not fuss about doing work like her nephew does. Peggs needs to build up the fortress home to have privacy
I honestly don’t believe Anne will play the tantrum game. Now that we know Harry still have contact with the UK govt, quite possibly she was suggested by him after he met V. Zelensky. Maybe also, this was planned a few months ago. It doesn’t matter really how it happen as what is important is that she is there highlighting the loss of children in this cruel war as Harry was there for the veterans and Sophie for the Ukrainian women plight. As for wilie, the govt knows he has nothing to bring, so they keep him away.
A couple of months back Private Eye had an article stating FO are frustrated by FK refuses to travel abroad at their behest and only going somewhere swish as part of Earthshot. I am sure Clive and Jason are going to smooth Will’s path as to why he can’t be risked on any frontline because he is SO important. Does anybody remember the TV show: Clarissa Explains it all? Well that is now Clive Explains it all? Will lazy and cowardly hiding behind his exclusion zone at Fort Knox Green! Ptish Ptosh Will is committed to ending the war in the Ukraine but first he has to bring up his young family to do them justice so he has to stay home and remain safe at all times!!
To bad for Peggy that no pr spin job will hide the fact that he is so cowardly he expects his geriatric aunt who suffered a brain injury not to long ago to go to a war zone, and is pushing the narrative that it isn’t safe for him. Well getting into a car isn’t safe but we do it every day and other world leaders have safety made visits to Ukraine so enough with the excuses for the 43 year old raging man baby.
Peggs wants his own fortress of solitude like superman has.
Lol Fortress of Solitude so the 24 seater dining table is for Kate and all those friends she’s accumulated through her active and productive life and not for Garbo Will?
Well, Lady Skeletor needs a nice big table to accommodate all the members for those Council of Evil meetings. Those Big Nefarious Schemes™ don’t plan themselves, ya know.
How much time before the British press praise a nearly 50 yo woman for giving up a teddy bear for a children’s memorial?
Let’s be real, her visit is more heartfelt and genuine than Prince Wails’s ever would be. It’s not her fault that the Ukrainian people don’t know who she is; it’s the fault of the monarchy for decades overshadowing her consistent work on its behalf in favor of fawning over lazies like Kate.
I think that the invitation happened after a request by the RF and the timing is because of Harry’s highly successful trip to Kyiv. I don’t know if it was to outshine his trip because Anne isn’t exactly well known everywhere and it would never get the same attention of anything Harry did, including going to the gym. I do think that they timed this to ride the wave of Harry’s trip to get more attention than they would if they did it prior to him going. I think that she’s there focusing on something she genuinely cares about, just as Harry did. My question is why of the three senior royals that were given government approval, why haven’t William or Edward ever visited? To me they both are similar as far as how awkward and uncomfortable they are in their roles, so they are handled more delicately than others are, including their wives. Of course their wives are protected and their shortcomings are ignored. But Will and Edward are handled as if they know they can’t handle too much or they might break. That’s why Sophie does so many trips solo, even to Kyiv and Kate’s pimped out to dignitaries at state visits.
Yeah I think the Palace asked the Foreign Office if Anne could go to Ukraine.
These Windsor people really should put Harry and Meghan on retainer because there’s nothing like a Sussex-related activity to spur them to do some work.
I can’t hate this. The more attention paid to Ukraine, the better.
💛💙💛💙
I’m wondering if Anne’s visit was actually in the works before Harry’s visit, and that’s why they weren’t keen for Zelensky to meet with Harry. I believe Sophie was in Ukraine prior to Harry, so it seems the UK is really keen to show their support. Anne has always been credited with working very hard for Save the Children for decades, so her visit has a genuine purpose besides the usual “soft diplomacy” aspect. UK will have three kings in a row, at a time when the continen is looking forward to a generation of Queens. William is set to be a the thorn among the roses! If Charlotte had been born first, I’m sure the UK would be eagerly anticipating her reign in a wash of nostalgia.
Visiting and leaving Zara’s teddy bear is the sort of soft power the monarchy should be doing. It brings attention to the plight of Ukraine’s children. Maybe Anne’s trip had been planned for ages, although the FO knew about Harry’s trip in advance, so I don’t know. And I sort of get (but don’t forgive) that the monarchy doesn’t want to send William because they don’t want to “risk” a Harry regency.
But. Two weeks ago, Sophie and Edward visited Japan. That’s exactly the sort of thing William and Kate should be doing. But the lazies never, ever, do.
Sophie and Edward actually get sent on a lot of trips. Kind of like Harry did back in the day.
yeah, Sophie and Edward travel a lot and they are the exact kind of trips that W&K should be doing. But also, Sophie and Edward’s trips are a lot more…..focused, I guess? Like there are missteps because they’re still Windsors (their Caribbean tour after W&Ks was not good….) but they aren’t going on these trips expecting the huge crowds and the adulation that W&K seem to always expect. They go for a few days and then come home. They’re not building in vacation days around the trips or anything. They get zero coverage but I guess someone thinks they’re worthwhile.
I always wonder if the trips are offered to W&K first or if they just skip right over them.
wasn’t it said that william and kate don’t want to do royal tours? so i was surprised when there was talk of them going to australia. it’s a shame that w&k aren’t traveling and have left it to e&s and anne. they have no shame.
e&s will be the workhorses for william. wonder how they feel about that?!
I thought it was interesting they referred to Anne as the third senior royal to visit Ukraine.
I don’t know if the FO or the King had any ulterior motive but I don’t think it matters. The more light shone on Ukraine, the better. You can never have too much morale support if the cause is worth supporting & the figures involved are sincere. Anne is totally credible & it just shows you how implausible William (much less Kate) is when you contrast them with each other. WanK doesn’t have to compete — just compare. Emulate. Anne is all about service & her life is better for it. You have to dig deeper on a personal level to keep showing up & resist the urge simply to go through the motions — and when you do, you actually get more done, you get traction. And when you actually have something to show for your investment of time & energy it actually helps you preserve better boundaries. It’s just more professional.
As others have posted I’m happy with any support for Ukraine so I think this visit is a good thing. However it does again highlight that there are only 3 senior royals that the govt has to send anywhere for the most part. Two in their 60s and another in her 70s. Would love to hear the convos happening behind the scenes in places like the FO about the long term strategy to deal with this.
She may be 12th in line to the throne but she’s much higher up on the list of “Reliable people that Charles doesn’t despise”
Also since this was a reaction to Harry going they needed someone who could pick up and go right away, not someone who would require a month of hour long prep sessions in order to get up to speed.
Slava Ukraini! That’s my first reaction.
My second is that this just highlights, yet again, how lame and lazy William is.
Let’s be honest. Willy is probably too scared to visit. I don’t think the reason is that he is next in line. Willy only cares about Willy. He doesn’t care about what is happening in Ukraine. He is happy that he’s the heir because he’s not required to risk his life.
Charles’s slimmed down monarchy has come to fruition. Basically, it’s Charles and Camilla, Anne, Edward and Sophie- 5 people. I don’t think the Gloucesters have retired, but I think they are the two oldest full time working royals now. Sophie and Edward seem to have travelled a lot this year- separately and together. For sure Kate and William are not pulling their weight at all. It will not look good when William is king to have his aged aunts and uncle working harding than him and Kate. I think to most observers that Kate is a case of quiet quitting. She will be Queen in name only. No one will expect much of her. I think the public is being trained for that.
She will just live in the tiara vault, the tinfoil tiara was a tell. Now she may just wear them for school runs instead of state events who knows with her (lack of) work history🤷🏻♀️
Agree with your analysis, @Tamsin, but that being the case KM’s funding from the Duchy of Cornwall must drastically reduce with immediate effect. Immediate.
Some of the £23m so saved should be channelled back to the DoC tenants via large rent reductions, with immediate effect. Immediate.
If Harry’s visit means that a steady stream of British royal family members visit Ukraine and keep it in the news, I’m all for it.