‘Putin will have to try harder than that in order to kill me,' says NI aid worker injured in Ukraine
He travelled to Buckingham Palace for a garden party last month, where he met the future King and Queen.
The 'once in a lifetime' experience was shared with Ukrainian refugee Tatiana Atananenko.
He said: 'We met with Prince William and Princess Kate, along with Sophie and Edward, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
'They were all there. It was an amazing day. You don't go back twice for that.
'It was a nice honour for me, but it's not really my scene, because I don't like publicity.
'It was more for Tatiana. That was the biggest honour bestowed on her.
'She said to me: 'I never, ever thought, being a refugee, I would be in a position with you to go and see the royal family, going to Buckingham Palace and walking around the gardens, having tea and eating the same food as the King eats'.
'She can't quite get her head around it yet, that she has been to Buckingham Palace.
'I got to meet Princess Kate, she looked absolutely amazing following her cancer treatment.
'You never would have thought she was ill, she looked a million dollars.
'She was so polite and so nice. She had time to listen and talk, not just shake your hand and disappear.
'She was really down to earth. She was a lovely woman.
'Prince William said to me: 'Peter, we are all very proud of you. We know everything about you because we have been told about you'.'
Mr Jennings began organising humanitarian trips to Ukraine in 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion.
He is grateful for the generosity of local people who support his work, especially small businesses in Derry.
On his last trip he visited an orphanage and children's hospital near the front line, where he delivered more than 750 Christmas presents to young people affected by the war.
Earlier in the year, while travelling to the contested region of Kherson in the east of the country, he was blasted out of his lorry during a Russian strike which claimed the lives of three soldiers he had become friendly with — Ivan Kovalenk, Aleksander Shevchenko and Maxim Kravchenko.
Despite being left with permanent injuries to his eyes and a limp, Mr Jennings is committed to delivering on a promise he gave the men.
He said: 'I made a vow that day to the soldiers: 'Don't think you have seen the end of me, because I will be back'.
'To the three soldiers who were lost and their families, I owe it to them.'
Mr Jennings also keeps in touch with President Zelensky, who has become the public face of his country's defiance against the Russian invasion.
He explained: 'I have a lot of time for Zelensky, I actually have his mobile number.
'He sends me a text every once in a while, asking if I am okay, and how my injuries are.
'I think I am the only one in the UK to have the Golden Star.
'They are very rare. It's the biggest civilian award they can give you.
'I am proud of that one. It means more to me than the other medals, it's very special.
'I have got 10 medals — one from Kyiv, a volunteer one, Patriot of Ukraine, one for Bucha, then there's the star, and one for Kharkiv.
'I got one for being injured as well, not that I need a reminder.'
PM says Putin 'not serious about peace'
While suffering as a result of his injuries, he insisted he will not be stopped from delivering much-needed aid to Ukraine.
Mr Jennings intends to continue defying of his doctor's orders — and the Russian leader who started the war.
'I am OK at the moment. Ukraine is more important to me,' he said.
'Putin is going to have to try harder than that to kill me.'
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