It was an emotional scene in Southport as King Charles arrived in the Merseyside town to pay respects to the victims of last month’s knife attack and thank the frontline responders who helped in the aftermath.
On 29 July, three young girls were killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance class. Eight other children were seriously injured. All have now been released from hospital.
In the aftermath, riots broke out in Southport and spread across the country.
The Royal Family shared a special message on social media where the focus was on the young girls who lost their lives. It read : “Remembering Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar.”
The King arrived at Southport Town Hall to sign the condolence book and meet privately with some of those affected by the attacks and their families. Outside, tributes to the young victims in the form of teddy bears and flowers, and friendship bracelets—a trademark of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour—has been growing over the last month.
After his private meeting inside the town hall, King Charles conducted a short walkabout to greet the public and grieve with them.
One woman who met the King later told the Daily Mail that “It’s lovely, it’s great for the kids to see it. I think it’s really nice, I think it’s showing respect for the families that have been affected. I think it’ll mean a lot to the town and particularly for any families that have been involved.”
King Charles, who began his annual summer stay at Balmoral the day before, was greeted by large crowds shouting out thanks to him for coming to visit. One member of the crowd was John Hayes, a businessman who was one of the first people on the scene of the attack.
He told the BBC that he attempted to stop the attacker and was stabbed in the leg, requiring major surgery. Of the King’s visit he said: “I think he only arrived in Balmoral yesterday, so for him to come all the way to Southport today to see people is very kind of him. And I’m sure everybody who met him got a lift from that.”
According to Buckingham Palace, the King will meet with the families of the three victims on Wednesday in London.
The King also traveled to Southport Community Fire Station to meet with first responders and faith leaders to hear about the work they did in the aftermath and ensuing riots that overtook the town.
On social media, the Royal Family shared: “Thank you to the frontline emergency services for your selfless dedication to protect the people of Southport and nearby communities.
“The King met community leaders and Merseyside’s Police, Fire & Rescue and Ambulance services to hear about their response to recent events.”
