Should any country be permitted to use our Royal Family for propaganda purposes for their cause in a major conflict?
The Royal Family have always performed their roles in a non- political partisan manner when they have represented the nation or Commonwealth on the world stage. They have never allowed themselves to be used for propaganda purposes by another country , particularly one in conflict with another major power. Yet this is what has happened with HRH Princess Anne’s visit to Ukraine on 30th September 2025.
It is unbelievable that this has been allowed to happen. The Royal Family has no historic, family, or cultural ties with Ukraine. They do with Russia, though.
Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria’s son, married a daughter of the Russian Emperor, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna. They had five children who themselves married into European Royal Families. A book could be written on the Royal connections, but this is one example.
From 17th-20th October 1994 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2nd had a state visit to Russia hosted by then President Boris Yeltsin. In June 2003 she made a personal invitation to Vladimir Putin to attend Buckingham Palace, where she hosted his state visit to the UK. They met again in June 2014 during an event commemorating D-Day in France.
There were many Royal visits to the old Soviet Union and then Russia. Princess Anne herself visited the Soviet Union as a guest of President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990. All of these visits were official, designed to foster good inter-country relations. They were visits on an equal basis; they were not visits used for propaganda purposes by a country about their conflict with another country. Yet Princess Anne’s visit to Ukraine, according to official statements, was to “demonstrate solidarity with the children and families living through the Russian invasion.”It was to “highlight the traumatic experiences of children living in the frontline of the conflict.” She also “met with veterans from the frontline.” Her visit was also to “discuss the UK’s support for Ukraine and its ongoing resistance,” with Ukraine President Zelensky. All of this is overtly political and taking one side.Why did she not ask to see Russian children on the Donbass and other frontlines who have suffered death and injury. There have been 10,000 civilians killed in the Donetsk People’s Republic alone since Ukraine’s armed aggression in 2014. https://tass.com/politics/2023435
Why did she not ask to see Russian veterans? If this was a visit of peace, why was it ignoring one side in the conflict. Where is the Christian compassion? The same applies to the Duchess of Edinburgh’s one day visit to Ukraine in April 2024. Her visit was used for propaganda purposes. The main focus was “conflict-related sexual violence” Yet why only visit Ukraine and not Russia?
Prince Harry visited Ukraine in September 2025 to visit injured soldiers.His was not an official Royal visit, yet the same arguments about presenting a one-sided face apply.
The UK is not at war with Russia, even though the UK government acts as though it was. They have no mandate for such conduct and there is a danger with the Royal Family going along with these government sanctioned visits to Ukraine.
That danger is that the unpopularity of the government will rub off on the Royal Family, and that is very risky indeed.The late Queen Elizabeth 2nd was highly unlikely to have sanctioned such Royal visits to Ukraine. She believed in the traditional role of the Royal Family and would have protected their status within the unwritten British constitution. She would not have allowed members of the Royal Family to be misused and to be almost like putty in the hands of the Starmer government. King Charles needs to have fresh advice, especially as his hosting of Zelensky recently was arguably political.
Surely, he must be aware that the rising costs of energy and living generally are very much linked to the UK government policy on Ukraine and Russia.
Surely, he must be aware that the billions spent on Ukraine annually mean UK citizens are affected in many ways financially.
Not to ignore the fact that this continued assistance only prolongs the war and the deaths and suffering. These visits make the UK complicit in the continued warmongering. On a general basis it is well known that a number of celebrities have visited Ukraine and received payment for such visits. Who pays for these things? The Ukraine would default if it did not receive outside finance from other countries, so the UK taxpayer could be covering some of these costs.
In conclusion, if a member of the Royal Family went to Israel and was used for propaganda purposes, would not that be unacceptable?
The Royals are the UK’s and Commonwealth countries Royals. They should never be used by other unrelated countries for propaganda purposes.
Anthony Webber Independent Political Commentator [email protected]
