Prince Harry has been branded a “clown” by Russian state media after using a visit to Kyiv to urge Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, triggering a furious response from Kremlin-aligned propagandists.
Speaking at the Kyiv Security Forum, the Duke of Sussex called for an end to what he described as “continued loss of life”, saying: “President Putin, no country benefits from the continued loss of life we are witnessing.”
He also urged Donald Trump to recognise the moment required “American leadership”, and praised the resilience of Ukrainians, describing their endurance as “what leadership looks like in the modern world”.
But the intervention was swiftly seized upon in Moscow, where senior figures on state television launched a series of personal attacks.
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Vladimir Solovyov, one of Russia’s most prominent TV propagandists, mocked the duke’s visit and referred to his past appearance in a Nazi-themed costume at a 2005 party.
“This is the prince who was photographed in a Nazi uniform, right?” he said on air. “This Harry… came to join his Nazi brothers in Ukraine.”
He went on to question the duke’s authority to comment on the conflict, adding: “Who are you?
Who gave you the right to even discuss these matters? You don’t deserve any respect.”
The comments form part of a broader pattern of hostile Kremlin media coverage directed at Western figures who publicly support Ukraine, often blending political criticism with personal attacks.
Prince Harry’s past apology over the costume incident has repeatedly been referenced by critics. At the time, Clarence House described it as a “poor choice of costume”, while the Duke himself has called it one of the “biggest mistakes” of his life.
Turns out Harry's Nazi sympathies never left him… pic.twitter.com/SiX8SQXEz7
— Labour Heartlands (@Labourheartland) April 23, 2026
During his trip to Ukraine, the duke said he was speaking as a former soldier and humanitarian, stressing that the conflict was not only about territory but about “values” and “sovereignty”.
“This is not simply a war about territory,” he said. “It is a war about values. About sovereignty. About whether the principles that underpin our shared democracy still hold meaning.”
His comments were also criticised by some Ukrainian commentators, including Oleh Soskin, a former adviser to ex-president Leonid Kuchma, who questioned the timing and purpose of high-profile foreign interventions.
Despite the backlash, the Duke of Sussex maintained that global attention must not shift away from the war, warning against growing “numbness” to its human cost.
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