Russian President Vladimir Putin has described Prince Charles’ alleged comparison of him with Adolf Hitler as “unacceptable”.
Former Polish war refugee Marienne Ferguson, who met Prince Charles during a royal tour to Canada, said he had likened some Nazi actions in Europe to those of Vladimir Putin.
Vladimir Putin, who has faced criticism in the West over Russia’s actions in Ukraine, said if Prince Charles had made such comments they were “wrong” and “not royal behavior”.
Clarence House declined to comment.
Vladimir Putin has described Prince Charles’ alleged comparison of him with Adolf Hitler as unacceptable
Asked about Prince Charles’ reported comments during an interview with international news agencies, Vladimir Putin said: “In such cases, I am reminded of a good expression: If you’re angry, you’re wrong.
“Pass this on both to the prime minister and Prince Charles. He has visited our country many times. I did not hear him say that.
“If that is so, then of course it is unacceptable. I think that he himself understands this. He is a well-brought-up man. I am acquainted both with him and members of the royal family.
“This is not royal behavior.”
Despite criticism from the UK of Russia’s recent actions, Vladimir Putin played down a worsening of relations between the countries.
He added: “I think that if our partners in Great Britain, just as I am, are guided by national interests rather than some other considerations, then all this will pass quite quickly and we’ll continue to co-operate as we have done before.”
Prince Charles was speaking to 78-year-old Marienne Ferguson, who left Poland for Canada shortly before the Nazi occupation, at an immigration museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
They had been discussing Hitler’s takeover of countries. Marienne Ferguson said the prince said “something to the effect of ‘it’s not unlike… what Putin is doing'”.
Prince Charles and Vladimir Putin are both due to attend a D-Day anniversary event in France next month.
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Russian and British diplomats are to meet and discuss comments reportedly made by Prince Charles about President Vladimir Putin.
Prince Charles is said to have likened some Nazi actions in Europe to Vladimir Putin’s policies, during a conversation with a former Polish war refugee.
It is believed the Russian embassy has asked for clarification of the remarks.
Prince Charles is said to have likened some Nazi actions in Europe to Vladimir Putin’s policies
A Foreign Office spokesman said an official would meet Russia’s deputy ambassador for talks on Thursday.
Prince Charles reportedly made the comments during a conversation with Marienne Ferguson at an immigration museum in Nova Scotia, Canada, where she works.
They had been discussing Hitler’s takeover of countries when Ms Ferguson said the prince remarked “something to the effect of ‘it’s not unlike… what Putin is doing,'”.
Prince Charles and President Vladimir Putin are both due to attend a D-Day anniversary event in France next month.
Clarence House would not comment on what it said was a private conversation.
“But we would like to stress that the Prince of Wales would not seek to make a public political statement during a private conversation,” it said.
On Monday, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Pier 21, Canada’s national immigration museum in Halifax, during their four-day tour of the country.
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Prince Charles likened some Nazi actions in Europe to those of Russia’s Vladimir Putin, said Marienne Ferguson, a former Polish war refugee who met the prince in Canada.
Marienne Ferguson was speaking after meeting Prince Charles at a Nova Scotia immigration museum where she works.
As they discussed Hitler’s takeover of countries, Prince Charles “said something to the effect of <<it’s not unlike… what Putin is doing>>,” she recalled.
Clarence House said it would not comment on a private conversation.
Prince Charles and Vladimir Putin are both due to attend a D-Day anniversary event in France next month.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Pier 21, Canada’s national immigration museum in Halifax
On Monday, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Pier 21, Canada’s national immigration museum in Halifax, during their four-day tour of the country.
The prince chatted to museum volunteer Marriene Ferguson, who left Poland for Canada just prior to the Nazi occupation.
Marienne Ferguson, now 78, managed to escape to Canada along with her parents and two sisters, but other members of her family were sent to Nazi camps, according to the Daily Mail.
“He [Prince Charles] asked when I came to Canada, I told him 1939,” Marienne Ferguson said.
They had discussed how “Hitler was going into different countries and taking them over”.
She added that she could not “exactly remember” the phrase Prince Charles had used, but that he then “said something to the effect of ‘it is not unlike what is now happening in Russia, what Putin is doing'”.
“But it was only a moment… It was a very short remark.”
Vladimir Putin has been widely condemned since he annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March.
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the same comparison between Vladimir Putin and Hitler in March, when Russia began issuing passports to Ukrainian citizens.
“Now if this sounds familiar, it’s what Hitler did back in the ’30s,” Hillary Clinton said.
Prince Charles has previously faced criticism at Westminster over his so-called “black spider” memos expressing his views on controversial issues to ministers.
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