Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska meets Princess of Wales

Grief drew them collectively.

Ukraine’s First Woman Olena Zelenska and Princess of Wales Kate Middleton reportedly met Sunday in Buckingham Palace.

The high-profile introduction got here a day earlier than Queen Elizabeth II’s scheduled Monday funeral. Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, traveled to the UK to characterize her war-torn nation on the funeral procession amid its months-long battle with Russia.

Images posted to social media present Middleton and Zelenska each wearing black and sitting nose to nose on gingham armchairs.

One other photograph Sunday confirmed Zelenska, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko and two others viewing the Queens’ coffin.

The somber footage surfaced as King Charles III hosted a reception for dignitaries from world wide on the palace.

Final week Zelensky visited the British Embassy in Kyiv to pay tribute to the late Queen, together with signing a condolence e-book, a photograph posted on Twitter by the British ambassador to Ukraine confirmed.

“Deeply honoured that [Zelensky] signed our condolence e-book for #QueenElizabethII this morning. Grateful to the President for taking the time to do that given all else that’s taking place in [Ukraine] presently,” Ambassador Melinda Simmons wrote.

Shortly after the Queen’s dying, Zelensky tweeted: “It’s with deep disappointment that we realized of the dying of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“On behalf of the Ukrainian folks, we prolong honest condolences to your complete United Kingdom and the Commonwealth over this irreparable loss.”