The Queen’s touching gift from Ukraine on wartorn country’s Independence Day revealed

The Queen has received a 'beautiful' present to mark Ukraine's 31st Independence Day, six months after it was invaded by Russian forces

The Queen’s touching gift from Ukraine on Independence Day revealed
(Image credit: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty Images)

The Queen has received a heartfelt gift from Ukraine in recognition of the nation's Independence Day and its special relationship with the United Kingdom. 

  • Ukraine has gifted the Queen a 'beautiful' gift in honor of the country's Independence Day and its special relationship with the United Kingdom.
  • Melinda Simmons, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, shared a photo of the present on her Twitter on Wednesday. 
  • In other royal news, Kate Middleton's indulgent bakery treat after the school run has been revealed.

The Queen has received a 'beautiful' present from Ukraine, in honor of the wartorn European country's 31st Independence Day. 

Melinda Simmons, British Ambassador to Ukraine, confirmed on Wednesday that Her Majesty had accepted the gift of a customized hat to mark the poignant anniversary. 

The stunning headpiece, which was created by Ukrainian designer Ruslan Baginskiy and delivered in an elegant white box, is made of blue fabric and adorned with blue and yellow flowers to reflect the European nation's flag colors. 

"I was presented with this beautiful hat designed by Ruslan Baginskiy for The Queen, to mark Ukrainian Independence Day and the relationship between the UK and Ukraine," Simmons tweeted yesterday. 

Her update was posted just an hour before the Queen, who is currently on vacation at Balmoral Castle, issued a public address to Ukraine's President Volodymyr  Zelenskyy. 

"It gives me great pleasure to send Your Excellency and the people of Ukraine my warmest greetings on the celebration of your Independence Day," the 96-year-old wrote in a series of messages shared on Twitter. 

"In this most challenging year, I hope that today will be a time for the Ukrainian people, both in Ukraine and around the world, to celebrate their culture, history and identity. May we look to better times in the future." 

Queen

(Image credit: Getty)

The Queen signed the message off as 'Elizabeth R', with the second initial standing for 'Regina', the Latin word for Queen. 

This is far from the first time that the Royal Family has voiced its support for Ukraine since Russia's President Putin invaded the country on 24 February 2022. 

The Queen made a 'generous donation' to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in response to the humanitarian crisis in March, shortly after Prince Charles condemned Russia for its 'brutal' attack on its neighboring nation. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton have also stood in solidarity with Ukraine, donating money to the DEC and visiting its London headquarters in April 2022 to highlight its efforts in helping those affected by the war. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.