Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry speak out against invasion of Ukraine

Top British royals are publicly condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in a departure from custom – carefully followed by Queen Elizabeth II – to avoid political commentary.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and the future king, touched on Ukraine in an otherwise routine speech Tuesday in southeast England that mostly focused on the murder of a local member of Parliament last year.

“What we saw in the terrible tragedy in Southend was an attack on democracy, on an open society, on freedom itself,” the prince said. “We are seeing those same values under attack today in Ukraine in the most unconscionable way. In the stand we take here, we are in solidarity with all those who are resisting brutal aggression.”