On October 1, 2025, Princess Anne, the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II and sister to Britain’s current king, made an unannounced and poignant visit to Kyiv, Ukraine. Her trip, which took many by surprise, was designed to draw the world’s attention to the ongoing suffering of Ukrainian children and families caught in the crossfire of Russia’s war. According to BBC and Reuters, the visit underscored Britain’s ongoing support for Ukraine and highlighted the traumatic experiences faced by young people living on the frontlines.
The princess’s itinerary was packed and deeply symbolic. She met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where the two discussed Britain’s continued backing of Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression. The meeting, as reported by Sky News, also included discussions of humanitarian needs and the challenges faced by Ukrainian children. Princess Anne’s presence, both as a senior royal and as a representative of the United Kingdom, sent a powerful message of solidarity to the Ukrainian leadership and people.
Accompanied by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, Princess Anne visited several sites of national and emotional significance. Their first stop was the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. The two women then moved on to St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, a place that has become a symbol of resilience and remembrance amid the current conflict. At both locations, the princess and the first lady paid tribute to the young Ukrainians whose lives have been tragically cut short as a result of the war.
Perhaps the most heart-rending moment of the day came when Princess Anne and Mrs. Zelenska visited a memorial dedicated to the children who have died since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. As reported by Ukrainska Pravda and Sky News, the princess laid a teddy bear at the base of the memorial, joining dozens of other stuffed toys left by mourners. As she stepped back, she told Mrs. Zelenska, “That was one that my daughter had.” The quiet gesture, simple yet deeply personal, resonated with onlookers and highlighted the shared humanity at the heart of the tragedy.
Princess Anne also spent time at the Child Rights Protection Centre, where she met with teenagers who had been abducted from their homes by Russian forces but were eventually returned to Ukraine. She listened to their stories, offering words of comfort and encouragement. The princess thanked the center’s staff for “tirelessly working” to reunite as many children as possible with their families, acknowledging the emotional toll and the immense importance of their efforts. According to official data cited by Ukrainska Pravda, at least 19,500 Ukrainian children have been illegally deported to Russia or Russian-occupied territories since the start of the invasion. So far, only 1,605 of these children have been brought back home—a sobering statistic that underscores the scale of the crisis.
Throughout her visit, Princess Anne emphasized the traumatic experiences endured by children living on the frontlines. Buckingham Palace stated that the main purpose of the trip was to shine a spotlight on these young victims and to demonstrate unwavering British support. The princess’s conversations with displaced and deported children, as well as her meetings with veterans at a rehabilitation center, painted a vivid picture of a nation struggling to heal amid ongoing violence.
Her visit followed closely on the heels of another royal engagement in Ukraine. Just weeks earlier, Prince Harry, King Charles’s younger son, traveled to Kyiv with a team from the Invictus Games Foundation. His visit, according to Reuters, focused on supporting the rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian soldiers and drew further international attention to the country’s plight. The back-to-back royal visits have been widely interpreted as a sign of the British royal family’s deep concern and commitment to Ukraine’s struggle for sovereignty and peace.
Amid the royal visits, the United Kingdom has also taken concrete political action. London recently announced a new round of sanctions targeting individuals implicated in the “forcible deportation and indoctrination” of Ukrainian children. This move came in the wake of the International Criminal Court’s March 2023 decision to issue arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights. Both are accused of war crimes related to the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children—a charge that has drawn condemnation from governments and human rights organizations worldwide.
Princess Anne’s visit to Kyiv was not her first. In September 1973, she traveled to the city with Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband, when Kyiv hosted the European Equestrian Championship. A now-famous video from that event shows the princess falling off her horse, Goodwill, during the competition. More than half a century later, her return to Kyiv was marked by a vastly different purpose and a dramatically changed political landscape.
During her recent trip, Princess Anne also visited a rehabilitation center for Ukrainian veterans. There, she met with soldiers who had recently returned from the frontlines, listened to their stories, and offered words of encouragement. The visit, as reported by BBC and Reuters, served as a reminder of the human cost of the conflict—not just for children, but for the entire Ukrainian population.
While in Kyiv, the princess’s schedule was filled with moments of reflection, empathy, and solidarity. Her meetings with President Zelenskyy and First Lady Zelenska, her conversations with displaced children and veterans, and her quiet tributes at memorials all combined to create a powerful narrative of support and compassion. The visit was widely covered by international media, with many commentators noting the emotional resonance of a senior British royal standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine during such a fraught period.
In the aftermath of her visit, Ukrainian officials and ordinary citizens alike expressed gratitude for the princess’s show of solidarity. Her actions, they said, helped to amplify Ukraine’s voice on the world stage and to remind the international community of the ongoing suffering caused by the war. The princess’s words and gestures, though simple, carried weight—serving as a bridge between nations and a beacon of hope for those enduring unimaginable hardship.
Princess Anne’s unannounced journey to Kyiv may have lasted only a day, but its impact is likely to endure. In a time of war and uncertainty, her visit offered a measure of comfort to Ukrainian children and families and reinforced the enduring bonds between the United Kingdom and Ukraine. For many, it was a reminder that even in the darkest of times, acts of empathy and solidarity can help light the way forward.
