It was a week that saw Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, straddle two worlds: his complicated royal past in the United Kingdom and his present as an international advocate for veterans in war-torn Ukraine. As the rain fell on a lonely border cafe near Poland and Ukraine, Harry’s humor and easy camaraderie shone through, even as his security team hustled him and a small press entourage toward a secret overnight train bound for Kyiv. According to The Guardian, the trip was meticulously planned, but the mood remained relaxed—Harry, padding around in his socks, making dad jokes, and sharing chips with his team, was far from the stiff royal some might imagine.
The purpose of Harry’s visit to Ukraine on September 14 and 15, 2025, was clear: to champion the Invictus Games Foundation (IGF), an organization he founded to support wounded veterans. The war with Russia, now in its third year, has left at least 130,000 Ukrainians with life-changing injuries. Many are double or triple amputees, or bear visible scars from the conflict. The IGF’s mission—to use sport as a tool for rehabilitation and recovery—has resonated deeply in Ukraine, where, as Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs Ruslan Prykhodko told The Guardian, “Sports recovery and rehabilitation did not exist in Ukraine before Invictus. Now we are creating a whole system with different kinds of training and preparing teams in all kinds of sports.”
Harry’s popularity in Ukraine was palpable. At events in Kyiv, he was greeted with cheers, hugs, and applause from wounded veterans and their families. Olga Rudnieva, CEO of the Superhumans trauma center in Lviv, commented, “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.”
For Harry, the work is personal. “The one thing that people miss when they hang up their uniform is purpose,” he said, reflecting on his own military service. “Losing a sense of community and being part of a team, and of course the camaraderie and adrenaline. But at the heart of it is your job, your role is serving a purpose larger than yourself.” He credits the Invictus Games with giving him that renewed sense of purpose after leaving the army, admitting, “It saved me.”
Throughout his Ukrainian journey, Harry’s commitment to changing attitudes about disability was evident. “Seeing people with prosthetics and life-changing injuries is going to be the norm in Ukraine for the coming decades,” he told The Guardian. “Nobody should feel embarrassed or ashamed about their disabilities. It’s about flipping from sympathy to admiration and respect.”
Yet, as he mingled with Ukrainian officials and veterans, Harry’s thoughts were never far from his family back in the UK. Earlier in the week, he had returned to London for a series of events and, more notably, a 54-minute tea with his father, King Charles, at Clarence House—their first meeting in 19 months. According to The Guardian and The Mirror, Harry arrived with photos of his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, hoping to mend fences. An insider told The Mirror, “It’s become clear that Harry now regrets some of his actions. He wants to reset his relationship with his family and with the people of the UK.”
Harry’s efforts at reconciliation come at a time when his relationship with other members of the Royal Family appears strained. Notably, he did not cross paths with his sister-in-law, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, during his four-day UK visit. Their relationship, once close, has cooled considerably since 2014, when Harry, then a working royal, canceled his 30th birthday party at Kensington Palace out of respect for Kate’s severe morning sickness during her pregnancy with Princess Charlotte. The party, which Kate had helped organize, was eventually held later at Clarence House, with King Charles sending champagne for guests, according to the Mirror.
In his recent interview with The Guardian in Kyiv, Harry addressed the controversy surrounding his 2023 memoir, Spare, which sold 3.2 million copies in its first week. The book, which contained candid revelations about his family, was criticized by some as airing the Royal Family’s “dirty laundry.” Harry, however, defended his decision: “I don’t believe that I aired my dirty laundry in public. It was a difficult message, but I did it in the best way possible. My conscience is clear. It is not about revenge, it is about accountability.” He further 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 also revealed that his wife, Meghan Markle, played a key role in shaping his approach to the memoir. “She said ‘just stick to the truth’. It is the thing I always fall back on. Always. And if you think like that, who would be stupid enough to lie? It takes up too much time and effort.”
His comments hinted at unresolved tensions with his brother, Prince William. “You cannot have reconciliation before you have truth,” Harry remarked, suggesting that honesty must precede any healing within the family.
Despite the personal challenges and relentless tabloid scrutiny—Harry, along with figures like Doreen Lawrence and Elton John, is suing Associated Newspapers, with a trial set for January—he remains optimistic. “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. I have been able to spend some time with people that I have known for so long. It is hard to do it from far away.” He added, “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.”
By the end of his Kyiv trip, Harry was laden with gifts from grateful Ukrainians, including a dagger hidden inside a walking stick. He attributed his warm reception to his military service and the way Invictus has been embraced in Ukraine. When told that his independent spirit was reminiscent of his mother, Princess Diana, Harry quipped, “You know who else did that? My mum.”
As Harry prepares to celebrate his 41st birthday on September 16, 2025, his dual commitments—to his family and to veterans—seem more intertwined than ever. Whether in a rain-soaked border café or the halls of Clarence House, the Duke of Sussex continues to navigate the complexities of legacy, service, and reconciliation in a world that’s watching, sometimes with skepticism, but just as often with admiration.