Prince Charles meets with members of Waterford's Ukrainian community

Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, met with local students and are to visit the premises of Waterford Crystal as part of their visit to Waterford

Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall watch theatre performers during their visit to Waterford. Picture: Julien Behal Photography/PA Wire

Prince Charles has met with members of Waterford's Ukrainian community as part of the visit by the British royals to the city. 

He is also expected to address the crisis in a speech later. Both he and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, kicked off the second leg of their four-day visit to the island of Ireland with a walk around the centre of Waterford city.

Hundreds of well-wishers lined the route for the start of the couple’s sixth official joint trip to the Republic, which follows two days in the North. The couple, who have vowed to visit every county in Ireland, arrived there on Tuesday as part of the celebrations to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Speaking warmly of his fondness for the country, Charles quipped: “It has long been one of our great ambitions to visit every county of this majestic land before senility totally overtakes us.”

The Prince of Wales speaks during a Mayoral Reception in the Big Room, at Waterford City and Council buildings in Waterford. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

As part of their walk around, they met sixth-year students from the Presentation Secondary School outside the Irish Silver Museum.

The prince met with members of the Ukrainian community in the city who have been organising aid and supplies for the countrymen and women since the invasion by Russia a month ago. On the second day of his visit to Northern Ireland, he met a Ukrainian refugee who fled the country with her two sons.

Named by the BBC as Maryna, she told the broadcaster that he told her he could not believe what was happening to her country. 

In his speech, Charles said his thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine “as they continue to face such uncertainty and brutal aggression”.

Such times as we are living through bring into sharp relief the importance of peace and friendship, which history tells us we can too easily take for granted.

“It is yet another demonstration of how our two countries are not just neighbours, but partners who, though at times we have travelled a troubled road together, have through reconciliation and understanding forged a future that has benefitted both our peoples and the world.”

It is understood that Charles will also address climate change and the challenges it poses in a speech to be given later.

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Knitwear designer Christine Murphy, whose brightly coloured outfit was admired by Charles, said the couple are “very welcome” in Ireland.

The 45-year-old, whose Waterford-based Urban Aran business specialises in sustainable clothing, said: “He said to me ‘I love the colours, is this your work? Are you a designer?’ 

“I thought he was very personable and giving of his time. I think it’s amazing for Waterford, which is Ireland’s oldest city, to have a royal come here and acknowledge that, given the history between Britain and Ireland.

They’re very welcome by the Waterford people today.”

The prince is also due to visit the House of Waterford, the premises of Waterford Crystal, where he will meet three local businesses in the Lismore Showroom. Prince Charles will also meet community groups and students in the city’s Grow It Yourself Gardens.

He will also visit a farm to learn about soil and water quality, biodiversity and is due to see a drone demonstration measuring “carbon sequestration in the hedgerows”.

Meanwhile, the duchess will visit Henry de Bromhead’s stables on her own, to meet staff and teams at the stables and a number of prize-winning racehorses including Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner, Honeysuckle.

The highlight of her visit will be to meet Rachael Blackmore, the 32-year-old from Tipperary who won the Boodles Gold Cup at Cheltenham on the Henry de Bromhead-trained chaser A Plus Tard.

Tomorrow, the royal couple will visit Tipperary.

- Additional reporting by PA