Prince Harry had better protection in Ukraine than he did hours earlier when he was in the UK, a source close to the duke has claimed. The Duke of Sussex made an unannounced visit to the war-torn country just hours after he was snapped in his home country to attend an appeal over a High Court ruling regarding his downgraded security in Britain.

Harry met war victims at an orthopaedic clinic and rehabilitation centre in Lviv, as part of his ongoing work supporting injured veterans, a spokesperson said. The prince, a former British Army captain who served on the front line in Afghanistan, has long supported former service personnel, having established the Invictus Games in 2014. He was joined by people from the Invictus Games Foundation on Thursday's visit, including four veterans who have been through similar experiences to the civilians and ex-service personnel being rehabilitated at the Superhumans Centre.

But his visit sparked backlash in relation to his claims about the level of security he receives when he's in the UK.

Harry is challenging the dismissal of his High Court legal action against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of taxpayer-funded protection when in the country.

However, a source claimed that it is "incorrect" to suggest the duke's Ukraine trip could in any way contradict his security fears in Britain and appeared to throw a subtle dig at the Royal Family saying that he was safer there than he is in Britain.

They told the Mail: "He can go to Ukraine - a country with an active warzone - because he has a robust security detail, one that he does not have in his home country.

"The work doesn’t stop because somewhere is dangerous – the responsibility is to have the appropriate safety measures in place, which this visit did. Similar to previous visits to Colombia and Nigeria in 2024."

They added: "Whilst in the UK, the Duke receives no such support that some other countries provide."