King’s emotional visit to meet stabbing victims’ families

King Charles admired a sea of floral tributes to the young girls killed in the Southport stabbings as he met survivors of the attack.

King Charles at Southport Town Hall in England on Wednesday. Picture: AFP

King Charles admired a sea of floral tributes to the young girls killed in the Southport stabbings as he met survivors of the attack.

The King travelled to the Merseyside town to speak with some of the children who were injured in last month’s attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class and their ­families.

Tributes have been left at Southport Town Hall in memory of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, who were killed on July 29.

Charles was due to meet the bereaved families later.

A crowd of hundreds at the town hall, which included medical staff and relatives of emergency service workers, clapped and shouted: “God save the King.”

Charles gestured in appreciation at the scale of the tributes, telling one woman: “Look at all the flowers.” He was shown inside to meet the children and adults who witnessed last month’s attack, as well as the family liaison officers who have been supporting those affected.

He signed a book of condolence, using his own fountain pen to write his name and the date, adding: “In deepest sympathy.”

Charles then visited a fire station to thank frontline emergency service workers for their response to the incident.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. He will next appear at Liverpool crown court on October 25 for a pre-trial hearing.

On July 30, the day after the attack, Charles released a written statement saying he was “profoundly shocked” to hear of the “horrific incident”. As riots swept the country in the wake of online misinformation about the attack, the King made calls to both Keir Starmer and police chiefs expressing his hope that “mutual respect and understanding” would help bring unity to the nation.

At the time, it was made known the King hoped to express more direct support for the communities affected, but that he would wait to visit until the violence subsided so as not to put an additional strain on police resources.

After leaving the town hall, the King met members of the community who had helped support Southport after the attack, including girls who had raised money for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital by selling lemonade and business owners who distributed ice cream.

Joanne Martlew, a retired emergency service worker, and her son Harvey, seven, presented Charles with a pair of Scottish cufflinks. She said she had been driving past the dance class on the day of the attack when she saw victims coming out and went to help, assisting six of those injured. “It was brilliant to see the King,” she said. “He was really pleasant.”

THE TIMES