Prince William arrives for surprise visit to Poland where he will retrace Queen Elizabeth II’s footsteps

Prince William has arrived in Warsaw at the start of a two-day trip to Poland to thank British and Polish troops involved in the war in Ukraine. The surprise visit by the Prince of Wales was kept under wraps and only revealed by Kensington Palace after he had touched down in the country.

‘I just wanted to come here in person to thank you for all you are doing, keeping everyone safe out here and keeping an eye on what’s going on,’ the prince, 40, said in a speech to military personnel. ‘You’re doing a really important job out here and defending our freedoms is really important and everyone back home thoroughly supports you and everything you are doing with the Poles and our Polish counterparts in providing that safety is really important.’

Earlier today, Prince William carried out engagements in Rzeszow where he heard about the support that British and Polish military personnel have been providing to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. His first stop was the 3rd Brigade Territorial Defence Force, who have been heavily involved in providing support to Ukraine. Whilst at the base, Prince William met the Polish Defence Minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, and spoke to Polish and British troops about the strong companionship they have formed since working together to support Ukraine. It marks his first visit to the country since 2017, when he and Kate travelled with Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Following this, the prince visited a British army base in Rzeszow to meet with British military personnel and learn more about the work they have been carrying out with the Polish Armed Forces to deliver support to Ukraine. The personnel are predominantly made up of Royal Artillery, plus an augmentation force drawn from different regiments across the UK.

On Wednesday evening, Prince William will begin engagements in the Polish capital, which will include meeting the Mayor of Warsaw and local residents. His first stop will be an office-building-turned-accommodation-centre which is housing around 300 Ukrainian women and children. The royal is also scheduled to meet volunteers. 

Arriving in Warsaw, William released a statement to local media saying: ‘It’s fantastic to be back in Poland. Our nations have strong ties. Through our cooperation in support of the people of Ukraine and their freedom, which are also our freedoms and yours, these ties are further strengthened.

‘I’m here because I want to personally thank the Polish and British troops working in close and crucial partnership. I also want to pay tribute to the inspiring humanity of the Polish people. You have opened your hearts as much as your homes. That’s why this afternoon I visited Rzeszow to meet troops based there to hear their stories and recognise their duty. I was struck by their passion as well as their shared determination to defend our shared freedoms.’

On his second day in Poland, the prince will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Warsaw’s Pilsudski Square, a monument dedicated to Polish soldiers who have lost their lives in conflict. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh laid a wreath at the Tomb during their state visit to Poland in 1996. William will then travel to the Presidential Palace for a meeting with the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, where he’ll express his thanks to the Polish people for their ongoing generosity and hospitality in these turbulent times.

The Royal Family, led by King Charles III, has been outspoken in its support for the Ukrainian people and have taken part in a number of engagements highlighting their cause. On the eve of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, the Princess of Wales held a meeting with the Ukrainian First Lady, Olena Zelenska, at Buckingham Palace. The Princess of Wales has also met with displaced Ukrainian families living in the UK. She also previously wore a Ukrainian flag on a visit to a cultural centre – a clear show of support.

In February, King Charles delivered a moving message of unity with Ukraine as the world marked a year since the Russian invasion. In unequivocal terms, the King, 74, condemned the ‘unprovoked full-scale attack’ by Vladimir Putin’s forces and praised the resilience of the Ukrainian people. 

The visit comes after the Princess of Wales launched the Business Taskforce for Early Childhood on Tuesday.