UK's Prince Charles voices shock at Russia-Ukraine war during chat with refugee

Prince of Wales met Kyiv resident Maryna Opanasenko who fled with her sons to Co Armagh

Prince Charles meets Ukrainians Luliia Wilson, Kateryna Zaichyk, Maryna Opanasenko and Alina Bilous to hear how organisations across Northern Ireland are supporting refugees. Getty Images

The Prince of Wales spoke of his shock and concern over the war in Ukraine as he met a woman who fled Kyiv with her two children.

Maryna Opanasenko, who arrived in Northern Ireland earlier this month after having escaped Ukraine via Slovakia, was among the guests at a reception at Titanic Belfast for local organisations involved in helping and supporting refugees.

Ms Opanasenko, who worked as a lawyer in Kyiv, brought her sons Taras, 12, and Bohdan, six, to live with her mother in Co Armagh while her husband, Oleksii, remains in Kyiv to lend support to other residents of the besieged city.

She expressed gratitude to Prince Charles for his words of comfort during their meeting.

“He said that he will pray for Ukraine, that he still does not believe that such awful things are happening, and that Britain is helping Ukraine,” Ms Opanasenko said afterwards.

“Ukrainians really feel this help.

“I am thankful to Britain and Prince Charles, too, that he came and he is interested and he is trying to help us.

“He is really concerned with the situation in Ukraine, he knows a lot about Ukraine, that it’s a beautiful country and the war is an unbelievable situation for Europe.”

The Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla were greeted by schoolchildren on Tuesday on their royal visit to Northern Ireland. Getty Images

Schoolchildren in Cookstown lined up to greet the British royal couple. Getty Images

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, meets and greets well-wishers during a walkabout in Cookstown. Getty Images

Prince Charles and Camilla test out a bike as they meet volunteers at the Superstars cafe in Cookstown. PA

Children hold flowers as they await the couple's arrival. Reuters

The Prince of Wales signs the visitors' book at Lissan House, Cookstown, during a visit to meet community groups. PA

The Prince of Wales meets photographer John O'Neill at a reception at Lissan House. PA

Prince Charles chats to volunteers from Loughgall Hedgehog Rescue at Lissan House. PA

The event came at the end of Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall’s second day in Northern Ireland. The couple are on a four-day tour of the island of Ireland and will make a series of public appearances in the Republic of Ireland on Thursday and Friday.

At the event in Titanic Belfast, Prince Charles also met loved ones of police officers killed during the Troubles.

The Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Foundation, spoke to volunteers, parents and members of the “Forgotten Families” RUC GC Widows Group.

While Prince Charles held engagements on the upper floors of Titanic Belfast, Camilla was given a tour of the visitor centre which is preparing to mark its 10th anniversary.

She was given a taste of the Titanic Experience, learning about Belfast’s shipbuilding and industrial history.

Earlier, Prince Charles and Camilla began their day of public engagements with a visit to Belfast’s own version of Narnia.

Hundreds of well-wishers welcomed the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to CS Lewis Square, which is named after the author who was born in the city.

The popular community park in the east of the city is dotted with statues inspired by the fantasy world created by Lewis in his famous Chronicles Of Narnia, the most striking of which is a towering metal sculpture of Aslan the lion.

People dressed as central characters in Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, with Mr Tumnus and the White Witch guiding the royal couple around the square.

During the visit, they heard about the work of EastSide Partnership to regenerate that part of Belfast.

The couple concluded the visit to the literary-themed square by posing for a photo alongside a statue of Lewis and the wardrobe.

Michelle Bryans, chief executive of EastSide Partnership, said it was a significant day for the organisation.

“This was huge for us,” she said. “EastSide Partnership has been around for 25 years so we’re celebrating our 25th anniversary today also.

“We’re so delighted to be recognised in this way.”

After the tour of CS Lewis Square, the couple went their separate ways for several other engagements in Belfast.

The duchess walked a short distance to the Holywood Arches Library as part of her long-standing commitment to encouraging literacy and reading.

She then travelled to BBC Broadcasting House in the city centre where she met presenters and staff at BBC Radio Ulster and toured the television news studio.

Elsewhere in the city, the Prince of Wales officially reopened the Grand Opera House following its recent restoration, meeting architects, conservators and interior designers involved in the project.

He then watched a short performance in the main auditorium by young people before unveiling a plaque.

During his visit, he shared a joke with veteran panto dame May McFettridge and comedian Tim McGarry.

Afterwards, the chairman of the Grand Opera House Trust, Colin Loughran, said: “We know the Prince of Wales has a keen interest in the preservation of historic buildings so for him to see the fantastic results of our recent restoration up close, and to meet the expert team who delivered it, was very fitting.”

Prince Charles also took time to visit the Marie Curie Hospice in Belfast to hear about their work.

He met patients, families and staff at the hospice run by the end-of-life charity and added a personal message on a special Wall of Reflection.

During the visit, he paid tribute to all those involved with Marie Curie.

“I know only full well what an enormous difference you make to so many people’s lives both here and obviously within the community,” he said.