London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2026

King Charles watches Ukrainian troops training in Wiltshire

King Charles III has said he is "full of admiration" for Ukrainian soldiers who are being trained by the British Army in Wiltshire.

Around 20,000 Ukrainians are to be put through an intensive five-week course to help them prepare for combat.

His Majesty watched as the men - mostly civilians - stormed a mock trench.

"We're trying to get them to learn how to use the ground to their advantage," said Capt Freddie Bradshaw from 1 Irish Guards.

"We've got urban and trench complexes which they can use. They need to learn how to fight in a forest - a lot of Ukraine is forest.

"There's a huge amount of experience from the training teams here.

"We are trying to make them as lethal as possible in a short space of time - five weeks is a very condensed training package," he said.

Major Tony Harris from New Zealand's armed forces talked the King through the operation

At an undisclosed location in Wiltshire, the King told one of the senior officers: "You are amazing, I don't know how you do it.

"I am full of admiration," he added.

Afterwards, with the help of a translator, King Charles took time chatting to 20 of the Ukrainians.

Many of them left their civilian jobs to join the army - one was a mechanic, another a teacher.

Many of these recruits have left their civilian jobs to defend their country


One Ukrainian soldier told the BBC: "It's an amazing feeling to be in the presence of His Majesty.

"It's been the event that most light will shine upon my life.

Another one said: "He asked how training was going, and our health, and took an interest in the wellbeing of our families and wives.

"I feel light on my feet and I think it will sink in a few days later," he said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Aston Martin Faces Legal Threat Over £550m Rescue Deal
Reform UK Wants the Royal Navy to Return Channel Boats to France
US and Japan Step In to Support the Yen in Rare Joint Intervention
The AI Pricing Problem: Companies Cannot Predict Their Own Bills
Europe’s Heat and Drought Are Now Disrupting Power, Shipping and Tourism
Apple’s OpenAI Lawsuit Becomes a Public Fight Over AI Hardware
UK Man Jailed After Keeping His Mother’s Body in a Freezer and Claiming £78,000
A SpaceX Rocket Is About to Crash Into the Moon — and Scientists Hope to Watch
World War II munitions discovered after wildfires in southern France
Breaking With the Past: One of the World’s Smallest Countries Changes Its Name
BP profits reach four-year high amid Middle East conflict
Comcast: Tied to a Chair and Hit in the Face With Cake: The Regular Humiliation Ritual at the US Corporate Giant
AI Is Remaking the US Economy, From GDP Growth to iPhone Prices
Europe’s Drying Rivers Trigger Power Cuts, Factory Shutdowns and Wildfire Emergencies
UK Driver Sentenced to Four Years for Staged Electric Vehicle Brake Failure Fraud
Conservative Party and Reform UK Face Scrutiny During Clacton By-Election Campaign
Ministry of Justice Reviews Early Release Rules After Public Anger Over Police Killer Cases
NHS Radiographers Report Rising Racist Abuse From Patients Across UK Hospitals
UK Banking Regulators Face Pressure After Customer Loses Fourteen Thousand Pounds in AI Voice Scam
Research Challenges Treasury Control Over UK Public Spending and Calls for Greater Local Decision-Making
Home Office Begins Four-Week Weapons Surrender Campaign Across Major English Cities
Southern England Records Driest July in Nearly Two Centuries as Drought Concerns Grow
Apple Challenges UK Government Request for Access to Encrypted User Data in Legal Fight
BP Reports Sharp Profit Increase as Middle East Conflict Drives Global Oil Prices Higher
Nigel Farage Expresses Openness to Potential Alliance with Restore Britain
AstraZeneca Merger Talks Reflect Intensifying Pharmaceutical Consolidation
University Merger May Set Template for Higher Education Reform
Apple's Legal Challenge Highlights Growing Tension Over Encryption and Surveillance
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's Agenda Signals Shift Toward Greater Regional Devolution
Mental Health Trust Faces Criticism Over Planned £25 Million Budget Cuts
Scientists and Cultural Leaders Call for Funding to Save Jodrell Bank Observatory
UK Manufacturing Output Reaches Highest Level in Nearly Two Years
University of Greenwich and University of Kent Complete Landmark Merger
Nigel Farage Unveils Naval Border Proposal Amid Questions Over £5 Million Donation
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Tougher Action on Small Boat Crossings
Apple Challenges UK Government Over Encrypted Data Access Demands
AstraZeneca Shares Fall After Reports of $400 Billion Bristol Myers Squibb Merger Talks
Triple Lock Lifts UK State Pension but Leaves a Wider Retirement Gap
Danube Drought Forces Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Plant Into Full Shutdown
Ceuta Death Toll Rises as Spain and Europe Clash Over Border Response
Cuba’s Grid Fails Again as Fuel Crisis Deepens
Nazca Lines Flight Crash Kills Thirteen as Peru Suspends Aerodiana
Modern Slavery Decisions Broaden the Al Fayed Inquiry’s Frame
FIFA’s Retreat Leaves a Larger Question Over Who Guards the Game
Two Firefighting Crew Members Die in Helicopter Collision West of Athens
Public Sector Automation Through Artificial Intelligence
Regional Investment Beyond London
Protection of Strategic Technology Assets
UK Competition Regulator Blocks Major Foreign Takeover of British Quantum Computing Firm
UK Government Commits Two Billion Pounds to Modernise Northern Rail Network
×