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King Charles made a poignant visit to Southport on Tuesday, and met the survivors and families of the recent knife attack which killed three children and injured other children and adults.
The monarch arrived at Southport town hall shortly after 1.30pm where he heard first hand the harrowing experiences of children who were attacked at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July.
Charles, 75, laid flowers for the three children killed in the attack – Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
The King stopped to look at the memorials and greet some of those gathered before going inside the building to meet some of the children who survived the attack, their families and the police liaison team working with them.
He took the opportunity to view the sea of floral tributes left in memory of the children, including one message that read: “God has gained three beautiful new angels… May you dance forever in heaven and be at peace.”
The attack, on 29 July, was followed by misinformation about the identity of the attacker. That sparked anti-immigration riots throughout the country, which were subsequently condemned by the victims’ families.
The family of the last child released from hospital condemned the attacks on police officers, saying: “When the horrific events unfolded, our police officers were the first on the scene.”
While Charles has not publicly commented on the riots, a spokesperson confirmed that he was monitoring the situation closely and receiving daily updates.
In phone calls with Sir Keir Starmer, who described the attacks as “far-right thuggery”, the King called for unity and praised the “community spirit” of those who opposed the rioters.
Today, the monarch heard the personal accounts of survivors of the incident and their families as well as police officers who attended the scene.
He will also privately meet with the bereaved families of the children who lost their lives in London tomorrow.
British-born Axel Rudakubana, 18, was arrested shortly after the attacks.
He is charged with three counts of murder, the attempted murder of yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas, businessman John Hayes, and eight children who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
The 18-year-old has also been charged with the possession of a kitchen knife with a curved blade.
While 17 at the time of the attack, the decision was made to lift Rudakubana’s anonymity after a false rumour spread that a Muslim immigrant had been arrested over the stabbings.
Rudakubana remains in custody until his next hearing on 25 October at Liverpool Crown Court.
A provisional trial date has been scheduled for 20 January.
