Prince Harry has vowed to visit Ukraine again following his secret trip to a rehab centre in the war-torn country.
The royal, 40, visited the Superhumans Center, an orthopaedic clinic that treats and rehabilitates wounded military personnel and civilians, in Lviv, on Thursday. During the visit, Harry said: “This is my first visit to Ukraine and it certainly won’t be the last.” The duke, who served in the British Army for ten years and carried out two tours in Afghanistan, met injured veterans and even donned scrubs while witnessing surgeons carrying out an operation at the pioneering centre, which provides prosthetics, reconstructive surgery and psychological help free of charge.
He also met ten-year-old schoolboy Roman Oleksiv, who suffered severe burns covering 45% of his body after a Russian missile strike in July 2022 and lost his mother in the same attack.
Harry said: “It was an absolute honour and a privilege to be able to travel here with an Invictus delegation and to come here to the Superhumans Centre and see what an absolutely mind-blowing care and rehabilitation that is provided here under this purpose-built roof.
“I have been to many rehabilitation centres, but there is no rehabilitation centre in the world that feels like this. I want to remind Ukraine that the world stands with them and Invictus will be a partner with Ukraine and this Ukrainian Invictus team for as long as needed and we love the partnership.”
Harry and the delegation, which included his pals and fellow former soldiers David Wiseman and JJ Chalmers, travelled from London where Harry had attended two days of court hearings over a downgrade to his security.
He is appealing against a decision to strip him of his round-the-clock Government funded protection after he quit working as a member of the Royal Family in 2020.
Harry’s visit to the city in western Ukraine, which has been targeted by Russian air attacks, was not announced until after he had left the country. He is the second member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion following a trip by his aunt, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, who made an unannounced visit to Kyiv last year.
The royals have voiced their support for the war-torn nation, with King Charles warmly greeting President Volodymyr Zelensky at Sandringham just two days after his public clash with Donald Trump and JD Vance at the White House. And Harry’s brother Prince William also met refugees from Ukraine during a two-day visit to Estonia last month.
Harry met dozens of injured Ukrainian veterans during the visit, including some who took part in this year’s Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler, where team members gave him a bracelet, which he wears, emblazoned with the message “Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire”.
Andriy Stavnister, founder of the Superhumans Centre, said: “Prince Harry met with all our guys who participated in the Games this winter—not just the Superhumans.
“He is incredibly warm and emotionally generous—no royal formalities. He hugged everyone, had a kind word for each person, and toured the Center with genuine interest and attention.”
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Andriy said he feels the “deepest respect” for Harry. He added: “It’s hard to add anything more about a man who could choose any pursuit in this world, but dedicated himself to supporting and empowering wounded veterans.
“I believe that decades from now, when all the world’s wars have finally ended, Lviv’s sign will bear a note: “Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, was here. A true Superhuman.”
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