Prince Harry has doubled down on his place in the Royal Family during a high-stakes visit to Ukraine, where comments about the war sparked a pointed exchange with Donald Trump.
The Duke of Sussex insisted he will “always be part of the Royal Family”, six years after stepping back from official duties with his wife, Meghan Markle.
“I will always be part of the Royal Family, and I am here working doing the things that I was born to do. And I enjoy doing it.”
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Prince Harry has doubled down on his place in the Royal Family during a high-profile trip to Ukraine. (ITV News)
The remarks came at the end of a two-day trip that took him to Bucha, just outside Kyiv – a town now synonymous with alleged war crimes after hundreds of civilians were killed during a Russian occupation.
Standing near a memorial to those victims, Harry made clear he has little appetite for staying silent on global issues.
Meghan and Harry recently wrapped a non-offical tour in Australia. (Getty)
“From my perspective, we need to feel empowered to speak truth to power. It’s really that simple,” he told ITV Royal Editor Chris Ship.
“What would worry me if we live in a world where anyone in my position or anybody, anywhere can’t speak about the very things and the realities that we are seeing,” he said.
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“I fundamentally disagree with that.”
During his address at the Kyiv Security Forum, Harry, 41, pressed the United States to play a more active part in the conflict – widely regarded as a pointed jab at Donald Trump.
“The United States has a singular role in this story. Not only because of its power, but because when Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons, America was part of the assurance that Ukraine’s sovereignty and borders would be respected,” he said.
During his address at the Kyiv Security Forum, he pressed the US to play a more active part in the conflict. (Getty)
“This is a moment for American leadership, a moment for America, to show that it can honour its international treaty obligations – not out of charity but out of its enduring role in global security and strategic stability.”
The US President hit back within hours, insisting the duke does not speak for the UK.
“I know one thing, Prince Harry is not speaking for the UK, that’s for sure. I think I am speaking for the UK more than Prince Harry,” he said.
“But I appreciate his advice very much.”
He added: “How’s he doing? How’s his wife? Please give her my regards.”
The clash comes just days before King Charles III is due to travel to the US for a state visit, though Harry insisted his comments would have no bearing on the trip.
“No, I don’t think so. Not at all.”
The visit also carried personal weight. Harry spent time with The HALO Trust, the landmine clearance charity closely linked to his mother, Princess Diana, whose 1997 visit to a minefield in Angola became one of the defining images of her humanitarian work.
The organisation works to remove landmines and unexploded weapons left behind in conflict zones, allowing civilians to return to their homes safely.
“It’s sad, it’s very, very sad because nearly 30 years ago, since my mother was in Angola, here we are again in a new conflict,” Harry said after meeting teams working near Bucha.
“It’s sad, it’s depressing, but thank God for Halo Trust.”
The trip marks Harry’s third visit to Ukraine since the war began.
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