The Duchess of Cornwall visited the West London church yesterday.
The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles made an emotional visit to a Ukrainian Catholic church in Mayfair yesterday.
The Royal couple paid a visit to the Cathedral of the Holy Family near London’s Bond Street yesterday in order to meet and listen to the stories of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war and government representatives.
Camilla repeatedly shed quiet tears after listening to the harrowing stories of the refugees, whose families and lives at home had been ripped apart since the Russian invasion, a week ago. Charles and Camilla listened quietly as a choir of children and mothers singing for their homeland, in an emotional scene.
A spokesman said yesterday: “No one could fail to be moved by the appalling scenes of Ukrainians fleeing their homes and the duchess wanted to help in whatever way she could.”
Camilla embraced Inna Prystaiko, the wife of the the Ukraine ambassador, telling her that she was “praying” for her and her countrymen.
The Prince of Wales accepted a “Stop Putin” sign from a small child and was moved to pay tribute to the “extraordinary bravery, generosity and fortitude of the Ukrainian community”, making an impromptu speech to the crowd gathered.
“I must say my wife and I have been deeply moved by everything we have heard today during our visit and above all by the extraordinary bravery, generosity and fortitude of the Ukrainian community in the face of such truly terrible aggression.
“So if I may say so, our thoughts and prayers, however inadequate they may be, are with all of you at this most critical time.”
He ended his adress by crying “Slava Ukraine!”, which means “Glory to Ukraine!”. The assembled guests responded to with a “Slava heroyam”, “Glory to the heroes!”
The Royals visit came as the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated and Russian troops took control of Kherson, a naval port in the South of Ukraine and the first city to fall.
A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Ukraine with the United Nations now saying that more than one million refugees have fled the country since the Russian invasion began a week ago.
More than a million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion began last Thursday, the UN says, with more than 500,000 of those heading to neighbouring Poland.
Meanwhile an investigation into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine has been launched by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.