King’s tribute to Southport stabbing victims: Charles speaks with children who survived attack after greeting well-wishers and inspecting sea of flowers and cuddly toys left in memory of three young girls who were killed _ Hieuuk
The King has paid tribute to the victims of the horror knife attack in Southport as he visited the town today and met with survivors of the stabbings in which three young girls were killed.
The monarch was greeted with cheers and applause as he briefly viewed floral tributes before holding a private meeting with the children, their families and others who were at the Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop on July 29 when three were fatally stabbed and ten others seriously injured.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, lost their lives at the dance class at the Hart Space Community Centre.
On Wednesday, the King will meet the bereaved families in London.
On arrival at Southport town hall, Charles was greeted by Dr Ruth Hussey, the vice lord lieutenant of Merseyside, and counsellor June Burns, the mayor of Sefton.
He then viewed a large makeshift memorial dedicated to the victims, gesturing in appreciation at the scale of it. One member of the public gave him three cheers and another shouted ‘thank you for coming’ as he greeted the crowds.
The King affectionately patted one young girl on the shoulder as he shook hands with many of the hundreds gathered to see him.
The King will travel from Scotland to Southport today to meet with affected children and their families. He pictured visiting the floral tributes to the victims on Tuesday
King Charles appeared moved by the huge number of floral tributes left in Southport
The King opened his hands as he spoke of his amazement at the floral tributes left in Southport
It comes after a fatal stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift themed dance class which left three children dead, including Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven (pictured)
Bebe King, six, was also killed in the horror attack in Southport last month
Alice Aguiar, nine, died in the early hours of the morning after being rushed to hospital following the attack
He told one woman: ‘Look at all the flowers’ and said he hoped people had not been waiting too long.
The colourful display of flowers, plants and cuddly toys outside the town hall has been maintained ever since the attacks, with the soft bears and dolls regularly collected by local volunteers and redistributed in dry weather.
The King was then shown inside to meet the children and adults who witnessed last month’s attack as well as the family liasion officers who have been supporting those affected.
People began to gather outside the town hall from about 11.30am to catch a glimpse of the King.
On July 30, the day after the attack, the King released a written statement saying he was ‘profoundly shocked’ to hear of the ‘utterly horrific incident’.
He added: ‘We send our most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack.’
Wearing a grey suit and tie, the King appeared moved as he walked through the floral display – with hundreds of bouquets left at outside the Atkinson Art Centre Southport.
Earlier, he arrived outside a sunny Southport town hall to a rapturous welcome.
Some members of the crowd clapped while others cheered and shouted: ‘God save the King,’ as His Majesty walked around the sea of floral tributes, teddy bears and balloons.
He stopped to shake the hands of some members of the public, including local Linsey Hislop, 43, who asked him about his health and how he was feeling following his cancer treatment.
‘I’m not too bad,’ the King replied.
King Charles stopped to shake the hands of some members of the public during his trip to Southport
Charles, 75, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, is expected to fly from Balmoral. The King is pictured at the floral display in Southport on Tuesday
The monarch also appeared to read some of the messages and tributes left in Southport
The huge display has been left in the wake of the tragic killings of three girls who were stabbed during a Taylor Swift-themed summer party in the town last month
King Charles is pictured in the background of the floral display, which also includes a number of balloons and cuddly toys
King Charles appeared moved when he saw the scale of the tributes left for those killed in the attack
He was seen speaking to members of the public as he examined floral tributes in Southport
Mrs Hislop, a foster carer, said she was a ‘big Royalist’ and wanted to come out to show her support.
‘I love the Royal Family, and my son is a police officer who was working during the riots so it’s really good of the King to come,’ she said.
Other members of the crowd appeared emotional and were in tears as King Charles stopped to speak to them.
Southport College worker, Louise Watson, 44, had come down to see the King with her two sons, and two nieces. Running through their names, she laughed, saying, ‘you’re going to love this, we’ve got Charles, Megan, and Harry… it wasn’t intentional!’
‘It’s lovely, it’s great for the kids to see it,’ she said, ‘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,’ she added.
King Charles ‘waved straight at’ her other niece, Eleanor, 10, who said: ‘It was really nice to see the King, how he cares, and he’s going to speak to the families.’
Watson’s son, and the King’s namesake, 17-year-old Charles, added: ‘It’s nice that he’s come to show his respect and condolences for what’s happened, it’s a bit of a motivator, a pick-up for Southport.’
‘It’s a wonderful thing, that he’s doing to come,’ Gina Wallwork, 77, said. ‘I do think it’ll mean a lot to everyone in the town, it was right for him to come.’
She added that everyone had been feeling ‘just really sad’ since last month’s attack.
At one point, the King appeared to read one of the messages of tribute left on one of the bunches as he slowly walked through the floral display
Dozens of balloons and stuffed animals – which are only brought out during good weather – were also on display outside the town hall
Members of the public had been waiting since 11.30am for the King to arrive in order to greet him
‘It’s a wonderful thing the King is doing, to come personally,’ her husband Peter Wallwork, 79, added, ‘and it was a pleasant surprise.’
At one point, he appeared to read one of the messages of tribute left on one of the bunches as he slowly walked through the floral display.
Pink ribbons adorned lampposts and flower beds were filled with paper windmills in tribute to the victims of the tragedy.
Balloons in the shape of stars, hearts, a disco ball and the girls’ ages were among the tributes and messages outside the Town Hall, including one which read: ‘God has gained three beautiful new angels. May you dance forever in heaven and be at peace.’
Charles has already expressed his shock and sympathy at the events, and has been keen to make a personal visit for some time.
But he wanted to wait until those affected were ready for a royal visit and there was less strain on emergency services in the region.
Charles, 75, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, is understood to have flown down from Scotland where he is spending the summer for today’s event.
Following his walkabout the King went inside the Town Hall to meet some of the children and adult survivors caught up in the atrocity at the Taylor Swift-themed event three weeks ago.
He is expected to also meet members of the community who helped bring the town together – volunteers looking after the floral and soft toy tributes, builders who donated materials and supplies to help repair and rebuild the town following the vandalism and riots and even an ice cream seller who handed out free lollies to those helping with the clear up.
Later he is also meeting members of the emergency services at the town’s fire station and will talk to faith leaders, including imams who came under attack at a local mosque in the immediate aftermath of the stabbing.
King Charles is pictured inspecting some of the floral tributes in Southport on Tuesday
King Charles III waved as he arrived in Southport to meet local community and emergency services
His Majesty arrived earlier on Tuesday to meet with the survivors and families of the victims of the tragic attack. King Charles is pictured arriving in Southport
The crowd welcomed the monarch as he arrived, with some singing ‘God Save The King’
Charles is seen surrounded by locals during his visit to Southport on Tuesday
He was met on arrival by regional leaders including the Mayors of the Liverpool City Region and Sefton, Steve Rotheram and Councillor Jane Burns, Sefton MP Patrick Hurley and Sefton Council leader, Marion Atkinson.
Inside the station he will hear from staff representing Merseyside’s Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance services about the roles responding to recent events and protecting people in the area.
He will also meet local groups impacted by the violent disorder in Southport, including faith leaders.
More than 50 police officers were injured as up to 1,000 people gathered outside a mosque after misinformation was spread online over the identity of the suspect in the killings.
More than 1,000 arrests were made nationally as the disorder spread and more than half of those charged.
Earlier this month it was revealed that the King had asked for ‘daily updates’ on the riots sparked by the Southport atrocity and could visit affected communities in the future on government advice.
It was understood that he was keen to be kept updated on the rapidly evolving situation.
He was also said to be engaging ‘privately’ around the issues that the shocking national unrest and violence had generated.
Buckingham Palace declined to go into detail of what form that engagement is taking.
But sources stressed that that His Majesty has spent much of his life, both as King and as Prince of Wales, working to encourage community cohesion and interfaith dialogue.
It came amid calls by some for the Royal Family to take a lead amid the national crisis.
However others pointed out that the King must be seen to be impartial, particularly given the vitriolic and hugely divisive level of political discourse around the rioting.
The King asked for daily updates on the riots which broke out after the fatal attack in Southport
In the town far-right yobs set a police van on fire as more than 1,000 people gathered following false information being shared on social media
The King was also said to be engaging ‘privately’ around the issues that the shocking national unrest and violence had generated
A tribute to those killed in the Southport attacks was held on the same night as unrest broke out in the town
Queen Elizabeth, notably, did not intervene by issuing any public message during the equally explosive summer 2011 riots, sparked by the killing of Mark Duggan by the Metropolitan Police.
She would also have refrained from speaking publicly around the issue on official advice.
Sources stressed that His Majesty was acutely conscious any immediate reaction to the trouble should by led by the Government.
He issued a public message in the aftermath of the tragic attacks.
But given the security requirements around a royal visit – and with policing stretched to the limit in affected areas – it would only happen at a time when it did not place any additional burden on frontline emergency services or risk inflaming the situation on the ground while the country was still such a tinderbox.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, from Banks, Lancashire, will stand trial next year after being charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
