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Some might call Prince Harry a rebel royal, but to most people in Kyiv, he is a hero.
The British royal's unannounced visit to Ukraine revealed not only his commitment to veterans through Invictus, but also his candid thoughts on war, the press, and his family.
Between late-night food stops, heartfelt conversations, and quiet moments at memorials, he showed the world a man at peace with his choices.
It was close to midnight at a roadside café near the Polish–Ukrainian border, with rain falling and a handful of tired travelers sharing fries and beers.
Among them was Prince Harry, cracking jokes and lightening the mood before boarding a secret train to Kyiv.
The mission, a serious one, was to highlight the work of the Invictus Games Foundation, celebrating recovery and rehabilitation for Ukraine’s war veterans. In a country scarred by conflict with Russia, Harry has unexpectedly become a symbol of resilience.
He wandered the train in socks, traded dad jokes, and admitted he hates cycling because, as he quipped in an interview with The Guardian, “I have a bony a**.”
Boxing, however, is his therapy. “Hitting the hell out of a bag,” he explained, helps him decompress.
The devastation of Ukraine left a deep impression on the prince.
At a memorial in Maidan Square, Harry stepped away from the crowds to lay a wreath alone.
“Honestly, it is one of the saddest things I have ever seen. But also one of the most beautiful,” he said, reflecting on the sea of photos and flags honoring the dead.
He visited missile-struck government buildings with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, met veterans with prosthetics, and listened as mothers of fallen soldiers clutched his hand.
“It’s amazing. We never expected this level of recognition,” said Olga Rudnieva, head of the Superhumans trauma center. “People look at him and his military experience and they see he is not afraid to come to Ukraine. It is so important that he came.”
For Harry, the Invictus mission has personal resonance.
“The one thing that people miss when they hang up their uniform is purpose,” he explained.
Invictus, he says, “saved me” after leaving military service.
Despite the focus on Ukraine, family was never far from Harry's mind.
He admitted his father, King Charles, remains a priority, noting that over the next year, “the focus really has to be on my dad.”
Harry also revealed that he met King Charles for the first time since February 2024 during his UK stopover before Kyiv.
He didn't share much details but hinted at a desire for more contact.
“Yes I would,” he said when asked about spending more time in Britain and bringing his children. “This week has definitely brought that closer.”
During the interview, his wife, Meghan Markle, came up only once, in reference to her advice about honesty.
He shared, “She said ‘just stick to the truth’. It is the thing I always fall back on. Always.”
He added, “And if you think like that, who would be stupid enough to lie? It takes up too much time and effort.”
Prince Harry's visit to Ukraine was shadowed by fresh tabloid stories that left his team groaning.
However, he insists he won’t back down. Alongside Elton John and others, the prince is suing Associated Newspapers with a trial looming in January.
Harry shared that he enjoyed the week, adding, "I have always loved the UK and I always will love the UK. It’s been good to reconnect with the causes I am passionate about."
He revealed that he spent some time with people he had known for a long time, noting that "it is hard to do it from far away."
Harry then said firmly, “It is only in certain elements of the press where you see this talk about me being down or saying I am not smiling. This comes from people who think they know what I am thinking and how I am feeling. They are wrong.”
He also said, “I think parts of the British press want to believe that I am miserable, but I’m not. I am very happy with who I am and I like the life that I live.”
Prince Harry condemned sections of the British press as “out of touch,” saying the past four years of court battles and damaging revelations have left him under immense strain.
He admitted the coverage has often felt like an attempt to destroy him, yet insisted his encounters with ordinary people tell a different story.
Harry said he continues to feel strong public backing despite media portrayals suggesting otherwise. He criticized newspapers for claiming to speak on behalf of the nation, arguing that citizens are capable of forming their own opinions without being led by press agendas.
During the interview, Prince Harry discussed his book and people's reaction to it, noting that he was aware that his decision to speak out annoyed some people and went against the narrative.
He explained, "The book? It was a series of corrections to stories already out there. One point of view had been put out, and it needed to be corrected."
Harry said that he didn't believe he "aired my dirty laundry in public," and admitted that though the message in the book was "difficult," he "did it in the best way possible."
He added, "My conscience is clear."
Though branded stubborn, Harry pushed back, saying, “It’s not stubbornness, it is having principles.”
Despite his hard stance, Harry isn't willing to have prolonged legal battles. With some media, he has given up on fair treatment, settling instead for the possibility of silence rather than praise.
He added, “It is not about revenge, it is about accountability.”
Harry is also keen on avoiding a prolonged division with his family, though he admitted, “You cannot have reconciliation before you have truth.”
