Prince William’s secret M16 visit on ‘dark day’ as Russia invades Ukraine revealed

Prince William paid a secret visit to MI6 on Wednesday, just a few hours before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. 

• Prince William paid a visit to MI6, the UK's foreign intelligence agency, just hours before Russia invaded Ukraine, according to the Court Circular. 
• The Duke of Cambridge's secretive visit was only confirmed after it took place. 
• In other royal news, The Crown's jewels stolen in 'heartbreaking' robbery after thieves take £150,000 worth of props.
  

Prince William visited the MI6 headquarters in London on Wednesday ahead of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Royal Family's official diary has revealed. 

The Duke of Cambridge met with the Secret Intelligence Service less than 24 hours before President Putin launched a full-scale 'military operation' in the Eastern European country—marking the largest attack on another state inside the continent since World War II. 

The visit was published in the Court Circular after it occurred, alongside details of Kate Middleton's Denmark trip. However, unlike the Duchess' engagement in Copenhagen, it was not publicized beforehand. 

While the Royal Family has yet to comment on the crisis, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have issued a message of support for Ukraine from California. 

In a statement posted on their Archewell website, the couple announced they "stand with the people of Ukraine against this breach of international and humanitarian law and encourage the global community and its leaders to do the same." 

Many world leaders and politicians have already condemned Russia's invasion, with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz calling on the superpower nation to end the military operation immediately. "This is a dark day for Ukraine and a dark day for Europe," he said. 

It remains unknown who Prince William spoke to or what was discussed during the covert meeting at the SIS Building in Vauxhall. The Duke's last confirmed dealings with the security service occurred in 2019 when the future King completed a three-week-long attachment learning about the MI6, the MI5, and the GCHQ. 

On Thursday, Russia launched a full-blown war on Ukraine, attacking the country of 44 million people from air, sea, and land with a deadly rainfall of missiles and bombs. 

Ukraine President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said that 137 citizens and soldiers were killed and over 300 people were wounded on the first day of the invasion. Over 100,000 people have been displaced after fleeing their homes for safety, prompting the UN to ask neighboring countries to keep their borders open for people seeking protection.