In a top-secret two-day visit to poland the prince of wales follows in the late queen’s footsteps, visits refugees and delivers a personal message of thanks to troops

O n a top-secret trip, the Prince of Wales travelled close to the Ukraine border last week to visit troops and refugees in Poland.

Prince William’s visit was not announced in advance, amid tight security, but on landing in Warsaw, he said: “I’m here because I want to personally thank the Polish and British troops working in close and crucial partnership.

“I also want to pay tribute to the inspiring humanity of the Polish people. You have opened your hearts as much as your homes.”

The 40-year-old heir to the throne last visited Poland in 2017 as Duke of Cambridge with his wife the Duchess and Prince George and Princess Charlotte, then aged three and two respectively.

This time, he travelled to Rzeszow, about 45 miles from the Ukrainian border, to thank British and Polish soldiers for “defending our freedoms”.

HELLO! understands it was the Prince’s idea to make the trip, both to thank soldiers and also to see for himself the humanitarian work being done during the conflict.

Dressed in a black puffer jacket and trousers, the Prince toured an air defence base, home to British, Polish and US troops all working to provide support to Ukraine.

He told them: “I just wanted to come here in person to say thank you for all that you’re doing, keeping everyone safe out here and keeping an eye on what’s going on.

“So, just a big thank you for what you do on a day-to-day basis,” he added. “You’re doing a really important job out here and defending our freedoms is really important and everyone back home thoroughly supports you.”

William also visited Polish soldiers at the 3rd Brigade Territorial Defence Force base in Rzeszow, joined by Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, the National Defence Minister.

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His trip took in a visit to the Polish capital, too, where he met Ukrainian refugees in an accommodation centre, holding hands with a four-year-old boy called Tymofii, posing for selfies and playing table tennis with other children.

The centre houses around 300 Ukrainian women and children, many new to the country, and provides them with two meals a day, P