Prince Harry was involved in an emotional moment during his surprise visit to Ukraine last week.
The Duke of Sussex made a short trip to Kyiv on Friday, where he comforted a mother of a soldier who had been killed in action.
Harry was in Ukraine to highlight the work of his Invictus Games Foundation in helping rehabilitate the huge numbers of veterans injured in the defence against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In one of the stops of his tour, the duke met with some of the wounded veterans – some of whom had already competed at the Invictus Games.
Prince Harry was described as being ‘in his absolute element’ during his visit to Ukraine
|REUTERS
Josh Boggi, Invictus’s international community manager who was accompanying Harry, shared an insight into the emotional nature of the trip.
“The big takeaway for me was seeing these guys and girls who have been through hell and back and living with their injuries and disabilities and seeing the smiles on their faces when the duke walked in,” he began.
Harry was said to: “Give time to everyone and see how they are getting on in their recovery journeys.”
“You could feel the aura in the room when he walked in. He was hugging the veterans, and they were hugging him back,” Mr Boggi said.
The Duke of Sussex met with Ukrainian veterans who had been injured while defending against Russia's invasion
|REUTERS
“He was in his absolute element in that room,” the Invictus official celebrated.
One of the most powerful moments during Harry’s meeting with the veterans came when he met the mother of a former Invictus Games captain, who was later tragically killed in combat.
"The duke gave her a big hug,” Mr Boggi recalled.
“There was a lot of emotion,” he said, per People Magazine.
Harry was celebrated for his emotional interactions with the Ukrainians, including with the mother of a former Invictus Games captain who had been killed in combat
|REUTERS
Mr Boggi was jubilant with how Harry was received during his time in Ukraine broadly.
“There was a sense of excitement for the fact he (Harry) was there in Kyiv and showing his support for the veterans,” he said.
“He is adored — not just by Ukrainians but all the military from all the Invictus nations around the world,” the Invictus official added.
During his trip to the four-day trip to the UK last week, the duke was invited to Kyiv by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and CEO of the Superhumans trauma centre in Lviv Olga Rudnieva.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
Harry was in Ukraine to support the work of his Invictus Games Foundation
|GETTY
“It’s amazing. We never expected this level of recognition,” Ms Rudnieva said of Harry’s popularity among the people of Kyiv.
“Ordinary people know who he is. We honestly didn’t know he had become such a celebrity. I think Prince Harry coming here is a symbol of victory and power.
“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,” she said.
After his time in the Kyiv, the duke returned home to California to celebrate his 41st birthday with Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
However, he did leave Ukraine with a horde of birthday gifts - including one peculiar item.