Prince Harry meets war victims in unannounced visit to Ukraine

Prince Harry waves as he leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

LONDON — Prince Harry met with war victims on Thursday during an unannounced visit to Ukraine as part of his ongoing work with wounded veterans, a spokesperson said.

Harry visited the Superhumans Center, an orthopedic clinic in Lviv that treats and rehabilitates wounded military personnel and civilians, to see top-notch services provided in a country in the midst of war. The center provides prosthetics, reconstructive surgery and psychological help free of charge.

The trip into western Ukraine, a region frequently targeted by Russian missiles, was only announced after he had left the country.

Harry, who served 10 years in the British Army, has made helping injured soldiers one of his most prominent causes. He founded the Invictus Games in 2014 to offer wounded veterans the challenge of competing in sports events similar to the Paralympics.

Invictus is more than just about competition, the spokesperson said. It’s a year-round movement about life after an injury, which is why Harry visits rehabilitation centers like the one in Lviv.

Ukraine integrates sports recovery into its support for wounded troops and has been active in the Invictus Games since 2017. During the visit, Harry met with Natalia Kalmykova, Ukraine’s veteran affairs minister.

The Duke of Sussex was accompanied by a contingent from the Invictus Games Foundation, including four veterans who have been through similar rehabilitation experiences.

He travelled to Ukraine after spending two days in a London court where he is appealing the British government’s decision to strip him of his government-funded protection after he quit working as a member of the royal family in 2020 and moved his family to California.

The prince is no stranger to war zones, having served two tours in Afghanistan, where he flew missions as an Apache helicopter copilot gunner.

Harry, 40, the younger son of King Charles III, is the second member of the royal family to visit Ukraine. His aunt, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, became the first British royal to travel to the country since Russia’s 2022 invasion when she made an unannounced visit to Kyiv last year.

The royal family has been outspoken in their support for Ukraine. King Charles warmly greeted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a show of support at his estate on the North Sea coast just two days after his extraordinary dressing down by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

Harry’s older brother, Prince William, met with Ukrainian refugees during a two day visit to Estonia last month.

Brian Melley, The Associated Press