Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge have shown their support for the people of Ukraine as Russia continues a violent invasion of the nation.
Wearing pins that depict a white heart over the Ukrainian flag, the Duke and Duchess headed to the London headquarters of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) on Thursday to learn what is being done to support people in Ukraine.
The royals arrived to meet volunteers with homemade treats to share, including brownies and granola bars baked at their Kensington Palace home.
Prince William and Catheirne, Duchess of Cambridge brought homemade treats to share with volunteers.
(Image: Getty)It’s not the first time Catherine has brought her own baking along to a royal engagement, something that she is believed to do to put volunteers at ease with their royal visitors.
She and William also joined a video call to speak with locals still on the ground in Ukraine, where several cities have been decimated by Russian attacks and the death toll is believed to be in the thousands.
“I just want to find out a little bit about what the scene is like, what the situation is like out there…what you’re seeing at the moment and where things are at on the ground?” William asked during the call.
“We’re particularly concerned about the devastating effect on children,” Rachael Cummings, Health Lead for Save the Children in Ukraine, told him and Catherine.
“These funds mean that we can ensure that children receive high quality care and support now, and in the months ahead.”
She was speaking of the record $530 million raised by the DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, which goes towards supporting some of the 13 million Ukrainians displaced by the war.
WATCH: Prince William and Kate Middleton hear firsthand accounts of life in Ukraine. Story continues after video.
An estimated seven million have had to uproot their families internally, while a further five million have fled the nation altogether.
William and Catherine, who have been vocal in their support of the Ukrainian people since the war broke out in February, pledged to donate more funds to support locals on the ground.
It’s the second donation from the royals and comes after they spoke with DEC aid workers who recently returned from Ukraine on their latest outing.
The Cambridges, along with other senior royals like Prince Charles and the Queen, have been supporting the Ukrainian people with donations and messages of support for months now.
The royal couple wore pins to show their support for the people of Ukraine.
(Image: Getty)In a statement from February, the couple recalled: “In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine’s future.
“Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine’s people as they bravely fight for that future.”
It’s also telling that they chose to attend this latest engagement on the day of the Queen’s 96th birthday, subtly showing how important the cause is to them and the wider royal family.
