The Princess of Wales told a tearful Ukrainian refugee “I wish we could do more” as she toured a UK organisation on Thursday which offers displaced families support.
The British royal visited the Reading Ukrainian Community Centre, paying tribute to the “bravery” of the families.
She told the refugees: “You're showing a resilience, I'm overwhelmed by how strong you all are.”
Galina Bolebrukh, 39, told her how she fled Ukraine with her mother Iryne, three-year-old son Renat and a few clothes following the Russian invasion.
Placing a hand on her heart, Kate said: “I wish we could do more”.
She later told the mother, whose husband remained in Ukraine to fight the Russian invasion: “Everything you've experienced is so understandable.”
The Princess of Wales posed for pictures with Ukrainian children, including Mrs Bolebrukh's son, who sat on her lap.
The centre has been the hub of the Ukrainian community in Berkshire for years. But it now focuses much of its efforts on supporting Ukrainians arriving in the UK, and delivering medical equipment and humanitarian aid to those on the front line.
The Princess was greeted by the centre's chairman Antonio Gresko on arrival, when she received traditional Ukrainian welcome gifts of bread and salt.
She told the group that “having a charity centre like this is a lifeline”.
The future queen chatted to groups of Ukrainian families sitting at tables in the centre, home to the Berkshire branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, the country's largest representative body for Ukrainians and people of Ukrainian descent.
She told the women: “It's still all going on and you have loved ones and family in Ukraine, they still see the horrors of war every day.”
The Princess also joined children taking part in an art session, which encourages the youngsters to have fun, build friendships and express their emotions and experiences through a creative outlet.
She praised the children for their efforts and was left with blue and yellow paint, the national colours of Ukraine, on her hands.
Kate, Princess of Wales wearing Bahraini pearl earrings — in pictures
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Kate, Princess of Wales, left, wearing Queen Elizabeth II's Bahraini pearl earrings. She first wore them in public while attending the Remembrance Sunday ceremony with Camilla, Queen Consort in November 2016. AFP -
The following year, she borrowed the earrings to attend Royal Ascot in June. Reuters -
In August 2018 she wore the earrings to attend church with Queen Elizabeth. Photo: Invicta Kent Media / Shutterstock -
Camilla, left, and Kate, who is wearing the pearl earrings, take part in the Trooping the Colour in June 2019. Reuters -
The queen and Kate attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in London in 2019. AFP -
Pearls are worn as part of royal mourning fashion protocol. Kate borrowed the queen's pearl earrings for the funeral of Prince Philip in April last year. Reuters -
Kate wore them in June to attend the National Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul's Cathedral during the queen's platinum jubilee celebrations. Reuters -
Kate also wore the earrings for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth. Reuters -
Kate wore the earrings on Saturday to attend the Festival of Remembrance with William, Prince of Wales. AFP
