Prince William sports full military uniform as he meets British troops on Russia border

Prince William has visited the Tapa military base in Estonia to meet British troops defending the country from Russian aggression as part of NATO forces as the war in Ukraine rages

Prince William has arrived in full military uniform to visit British troops on Russia’s border defending NATO’s front line from Putin’s agression. William is Colonel-in-Chief of the Mercian Regiment and is meeting soldiers from his regiment who are taking over NATO duties in Estonia from the Royal Dragoon Guards.

He is taking part in a handover ceremony and joining troops training in trench warfare during his time at Tapa military base in Estonia. UK troops lead a battlegroup in Estonia, and the 900 British service personnel in the country are the UK’s largest permanent overseas deployment. Russia is seen as a growing threat in the region following its three-year-long invasion of Ukraine, with the Baltic states – Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia – which border Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nation appearing increasingly concerned.

The Prince of Wales, wearing a military camouflage outfit and beret, was met at the NATO base just 125 miles from the Russian border, by UK defence attaché Rob Hall. Soldiers from the 1st Estonian brigade were introduced to the future king who asked them about the first six months of their training. Speaking to the 13 soldiers chosen to meet him, William said: “It’s great to meet you guys and great to be here. How’s it working with the Brits? You don’t have to say nice things just because i’m here!”

The soldiers told him their experience had been “good” and “very successful”. William replied: “I bet you guys are pleased it’s going to be spring soon! It gets quite cold here right?” One soldier said: “Spring started yesterday so we are happier now”. William said: “Yes I got to see some sunshine in Tallinn yesterday, a little bit colder today though. But good to know it’s coming”. The Prince asked the soldiers about their basic training adding: “It’s great to meet and I can’t wait to see the drills today. Very pleased to be here.”

British forces are deployed to Estonia and Poland under Operation Cabrit, the UK’s contribution to Nato’s Forward Land Forces in the two countries. During his time at the military base, the prince will also meet Estonian troops and visit the welfare team to learn about the emotional and mental wellbeing support that is available to UK soldiers

William will end his two-day visit to Estonia by meeting Mercian troops and their Nato allies in the informal space of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes’ shop and canteen. The prince is a former army officer who trained at Sandhurst military academy and joined the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals before training as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.

His trip to the Russia border comes after he paid tribute to the “resilience” of Ukrainians given refuge by Estonia after holding talks with the Baltic state’s president on the first of his two-day trip. He also donned a friendship band in their Ukrainian colours on a visit to ‘The Freedom School’ for refugees.

William, 42, was visiting the educational establishment in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, where he also played basketball with students and learnt to say – admittedly not very confidently – good afternoon in both Estonian and Ukrainian.

Taking a seat with students aged 16 to 18 in a Ukrainian language lesson, he told them encouragingly: “It’s looking forward to the future in a positive way, it’s very important. It’s been a very difficult few years for you guys. Everyone sees that. What I love is (that) Ukrainian resilience is everywhere.

“You all are very smiley and very strong and very spiritual people. And honestly that comes across everywhere. Even the Ukrainians I’ve met in the UK and like that – very resilient and very strong about things. You have a very good spirit, very good souls, it’s very important. Even if your language is very hard to learn. I need to take some of these big words with me to look at, learn my languages better.”

He was asked by student counsellor Yelyzaveta Lukiianchuk, 18, if she could give him a friendship bracelet made by the pupils in the Ukrainian colours of blue and yellow. He asked her to put it on and said: “That’s brilliant, my daughter will try and probably poach it off me later. She loves these friendship bracelets. Thank you very much, I like the Ukrainian colours. Thank you, that’s very kind.”

Afterwards, he became king of the selfies when he posed for dozens of pictures with well-wishers. Many of the selfies were taken by the future king who seemed to encourage the photos and at one point appeared to drop a phone, but luckily only the owner’s extra battery pack slipped from his grasp.

Around 200 people braved bitter conditions in the capital Tallinn to see William after he learnt about the work of a range of renewable energy start-up firms, members of the Cleantech Association, and heard how Estonia and other Baltic states are ushering in a new era of energy security..

Earlier in the day, the future King sat down with Estonia’s President Alar Karis as his two-day visit to the country began and heard his plea for some UK troops to remain in the Baltic state after the statesman suggested they may be redeployed as peacekeepers in Ukraine.