London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 28, 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
UK Government Confirms Further Medicine Price Concessions for Community Pharmacies in June
British Chambers of Commerce Calls for Public Procurement Reform to Boost Regional Growth
Thousands Mark Armed Forces Day Across the United Kingdom With National Parades and Flypasts
Man Arrested in Ealing on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Vehicle Ramming Incident Injures Five
Cambridge South Station Opens With £250 Million Investment to Strengthen Life Sciences Corridor
UK Heat-Health Alerts Extended Across England as High Temperatures Persist
Thames Water and Energy Operators Warn of Peak Demand Risks During UK Heatwave
Government Conference Highlights Push for Evidence-Led Policy Across UK Public Sector
Insolvency Service Reports Improved Confidence in UK Insolvency System
Security Industry Authority Finds Widespread Safety Failures in UK Night-Time Economy
Nigel Farage Expands Anti-WHO Campaign Into United States With New Lobbying Structure
Home Secretary Seema Mahmood Unveils New Safe Routes Plan for Asylum Seekers
UK Government Warns of Peak Electricity and Water Pressure Amid Ongoing Heatwave
New Nuclear Plant in Wales Named Gwyndod Power Station as Energy Strategy Advances
UK Announces First Major Hydropower Projects in Four Decades to Expand Renewable Capacity
Thirteen Men Charged in Major UK Sexual Abuse Case as Investigation Continues
UK Launches Cross-Sector Climate Security Taskforce Linking Environment and National Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres Calls for Urgent Global Methane Emissions Cuts in London
World Bank Approves $1 Billion UK-Backed Financing Package for Ukraine Recovery
UK Pledges Emergency Aid and Rescue Team Deployment to Earthquake-Hit Venezuela
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent for Fourth Straight Meeting
Record-Breaking Heatwave Puts Strain on UK Health Services and Energy Networks
London Ambulance Service Sees Record Emergency Demand as Heatwave Intensifies
British Chambers of Commerce Warns of Prolonged Weak Investment Climate Through 2027
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates as Inflation Risks Persist
UK Construction Sector Faces One Percent Contraction Amid Cost and Investment Pressures
Former DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson Convicted of Sexual Offences
Church of England Appoints Dr Linsay Cunningham to Lead Faith and Public Life Division
UK Armed Forces Day Marked Nationwide With Events From Aberdeen to the Scilly Isles
Rising Tensions in Edinburgh Prompt Joint Warning From Scottish Local Government Leaders
UK Construction Sector Forecast to Contract One Percent in 2026 on Cost Pressures
UK Parliament Backs 87 Percent Emissions Cut as Government Deepens Electrification Drive
British Chambers of Commerce Forecast Weak UK Growth as Investment and Demand Slow
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent Amid Energy and Inflation Uncertainty
London Ambulance Service Reports Record Surge in Life-Threatening Emergency Calls During Heatwave
UK Parliament Approves Legally Binding 87 Percent Emissions Cut Target by 2040
United Kingdom Records Third Consecutive Day of Record June Heat as Europe Faces Worsening Heatwave
Robert Jenrick Defends £5 Million Donation to Nigel Farage Amid Political Scrutiny
Plymouth Museum The Box Wins 2026 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award
UK Government Faces Backlash Over Plans to Use Former Military Sites for Asylum Accommodation
Labour Party Faces Pressure Over Cabinet Stability as Senior Figures Clash on Policy Direction
Heathrow Airport Forecasts Passenger Decline in 2026 as Costs and Climate Disruption Mount
UK Energy Regulator Approves Expansion of Long-Duration Storage to Boost Power System Resilience
Crown Estate Reports Third Consecutive Year of £1 Billion Profit as Debate Over Royal Finances Intensifies
Teenager Charged With Murder in Wales Following Death of 14-Year-Old Boy
Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Failures Trigger Calls for Public Inquiry Into Patient Safety
EasyJet Rejects £4.9 Billion Takeover Offer From Castlelake but Keeps Door Open for Further Talks
Record Heatwave Triggers UK Transport and Infrastructure Strain as Heathrow Revises Passenger Forecast Downward
Ofgem Approves Sixteen Long-Duration Energy Storage Projects to Strengthen UK Grid Stability
Labour Government Faces Internal Tensions Over Cabinet Decisions and Net Zero Policy Direction
×