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- Just one day after reuniting with King Charles, Prince Harry traveled to Kyiv to meet wounded veterans and highlight rehabilitation efforts
- The Duke of Sussex urged injured service members to “open up to your friends and family,” drawing on his own military experience and mental health journey
- Harry honored the sacrifices of soldiers’ wives and mothers, echoing the support he receives from Meghan Markle and his own family
Just one day after wrapping a four-day trip to the U.K. — capped by a long-awaited reunion with his father King Charles after 19 months apart — Prince Harry made another surprise stop: Kyiv.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, arrived in Ukraine on Friday, Sept. 12, to highlight the recovery of wounded veterans, leading a delegation from the Invictus Games Foundation in his role as founder and patron. The visit came on the heels of an emotional week back in Britain, where he spent time with his causes and reconnected privately with his father over tea at Clarence House.
In Kyiv, Harry urged injured service members to lean on those closest to them as they navigate life after combat.
“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,” he said during a panel discussion. “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.”
“Don’t stay silent. Silence will hold you in the dark,” he continued. “Open up to your friends and family, because in doing so, you give them permission to do the same.”
It’s advice he knows firsthand. Harry served in the British Army for 10 years, including two tours in Afghanistan, and has often spoken about the struggles of adjusting to civilian life.
The Duke also paid tribute to the families who shoulder their own sacrifices during war, saying, “The wives and mothers who keep their loved ones on the straight and narrow — they deserve as much respect as anyone who serves.”
His words carried personal echoes of the support he receives from Meghan Markle. Before traveling to Ukraine, Harry told The Guardian that he had to “check with my wife and the British government to make sure it was OK” before accepting the official invitation from Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Olga Rudneva, CEO of the Superhumans Center.
The day in Kyiv also included a private meeting with Ukraine’s Minister for Veterans Affairs, Natalia Kalmykova, where Harry discussed how the Invictus Games Foundation could expand long-term support for the country’s veterans. With more than 150,000 seriously wounded, the need is urgent — and Harry’s team pledged to make Ukraine a focus in the years ahead.
In a separate private meeting with Prime Minister Svyrydenko, the Duke of Sussex reiterated his personal commitment to the entire Invictus community, demonstrating that this engagement extends well beyond a single visit.
He joined a panel alongside Invictus Team Ukraine’s Captain Olexiy Tiunin, Invictus Games Foundation Chief Programmes & Strategy Officer David Wiseman, and Superhumans Center leaders Rudneva and Andriy Stavnitser.
Earlier, he attended a fundraising lunch to help Superhumans — experts in recovery and rehabilitation who are there to support the more than 150,000 seriously wounded Ukrainian service men and women — expand its rehabilitation network with up to five new centers.
The visit ended at Maidan Square, where Harry laid a wreath in honor of Ukrainians who lost their lives defending freedom and democracy.
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For Harry, the trip was both personal and symbolic: a continuation of the Invictus spirit that recovery is possible, and a reminder that behind every soldier stands a network of family, community and global support.
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