Prince William spoke of living 'with his own grief' over Diana today as he paid a moving tribute to the lives lost in the Manchester Arena bombing five years ago - and the bereaved families. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge officially opened the Glade of Light memorial near Manchester Cathedral.
In a powerful and deeply personal speech - which also referenced Oasis and the singing in Manchester of the band's hit 'Don't Look Back in Anger' in the aftermath of the attack - he said he recalled 'only too well the shock and grief on the faces of those I met' on a visit to the city in the days after the bombing and at a service of commemoration held at the cathedral.
Remembering the '22 lives so brutally taken', Prince William said he wanted to attend Tuesday's unveiling 'to acknowledge the hundreds of lives that were irrevocably changed and to pay tribute to the resilience of this great city'.
"Five years on I know that the pain and the trauma felt by many, has not gone away," he said as bereaved families, some with a tear in their eye, and civic dignitaries looked on. "As someone who lives with his own grief, I also know that what often matters most to the bereaved is that those we have lost are not forgotten.
"There is comfort in remembering. In acknowledging that, while taken horribly soon, they lived. They changed our lives. They were loved, and they are loved. It is why memorials such as the Glade of Light are so important. Why Catherine and I so wanted to be amongst you today."
The suicide bombing in May 2017 after an Ariana Grande concert claimed 22 lives and left hundreds more people injured. The memorial is a white marble 'halo' bearing the names of those who lost their lives. Bereaved families have made personalised memory capsules containing mementos and messages which have been embedded inside the halo.
The tribute was conceived as a living memorial - a peaceful garden space for remembrance and reflection, featuring plants which grow naturally in the UK countryside selected to provide year-round colour and echo the changing seasons.
Around the anniversary of the bombing every year, the white flowers of a hawthorn tree planted at its centre will bloom. An outer circle path, including seating, has been included to enable people to linger in the garden for longer while preserving the intimacy of the halo area.
The Duke said the Glade of Light would be 'a focal point for commemoration and reflection' and 'a place of solace for the families, the injured and all those affected'. "A place for Mancunians and visitors alike to acknowledge what the city went through," he added.
"It is a counter to the violence and hateful disregard for human life that caused this tragedy. I hope that this beautiful, tranquil space which, for all the challenges, I know many of you were involved in shaping, will provide all of this and more for generations to come."
And he said he 'stood with' all those recovering from the atrocity, as he also paid tribute to the emergency services, first responders and all those who helped on the night. Prince William went on: "Catherine and I know that the atrocity's impact will last a lifetime and beyond, and that the healing process is still on-going. We want to assure all of you who are struggling that you are very much in our thoughts. We stand with you as you continue on that difficult journey.
"Alongside the bereaved, I also want to acknowledge all the lives changed that day. The injured, physically and mentally. The first responders. NHS Staff. Those who were in or around the vicinity of the Arena, and who provided care and first aid."
The Oasis hit 'Don't Look Back in Anger' became forever synonymous with the outpouring of grief shown in the aftermath of the murderous attack after huge crowds gathered at St Ann's Square broke out into song following a minute's silence held at a tribute three days later.
Prince William added in his speech: "And we remember the entirety of the Manchester community who responded in the most heart-warming and life-affirming ways possible to support those affected. This was an attack on an evening of music. And it occurred in a city that has given the world so many songs to sing.
"When the people of Manchester gathered to pay respect to the victims just days after the atrocity, you told the world that your music would not be silenced," added the Duke. "Instead, you raised your voices together and you sang a song of love that was written by some of this city's most famous sons.
"On that day you told each other that you would not look back in anger. And you showed the world the true heart of this extraordinary place. So, when we come to this memorial let’s look back with love for those we lost.
"Let's look back with love for the people who cared for and protected this community. And let's look back with love for the ongoing strength of the great city of Manchester."
Suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, detonated a device in a rucksack as crowds left the Ariana Grande concert at the venue on May 22, 2017. The attack claimed 22 lives - the youngest an eight-year-old girl, Saffie-Rose Roussos. Sixty three people were seriously injured and 111 hospitalised.
His brother, Hashem Abedi, is serving a life sentence for murder.
