King Charles meets families of three girls killed in Southport stabbing
21 August 2024, 18:35
King Charles today met with the families of the three young girls killed in the Southport knife attack.
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The King held a private meeting with the grieving families at Clarence House, one of his royal residencies in London.
This comes after Charles visited Southport on Tuesday to pay tribute to the victims of the attack which killed Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, as well as injuring ten more.
During his visit, Charles held a private meeting with the survivors of the attack, which took place at The Hart Space community centre on 29 July, as well as their families.
Read more: Taylor Swift meets victims and families of Southport attack before Wembley Stadium shows
The King also met with local community leaders and frontline emergency services to thank them for their work in the wake of the recent stabbings.
Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport, met the King at Southport Community Fire Station, and said: "He was very keen to express his sympathy and empathy.
"Very keen to make sure the people of Southport know that from the symbolism perspective, the country's heart goes out to the people here."
"Very keen to make sure the people of Southport know that from the symbolism perspective, the country's heart goes out to the people here."
The Southport stabbings sparked riots across the UK after a knifeman entered the Taylor Swift-themed dance class at the community centre in Southport.
The suspect, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, has been charged with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder.
The disorder included looting with hotels housing asylum seekers also attacked before counter demonstrations appeared to quell the disturbances.
Read more: Taylor Swift meets victims and families of Southport attack before Wembley Stadium shows
The violence, denounced as "far-right thuggery" by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, was sparked by false claims about the identity of a teenage suspect later charged with three counts of murder.
Following the attack, the King sent his condolences, noting: "My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport today."
In the wake of the incident, King Charles explained that he had "shared how he had been greatly encouraged by the many examples of community spirit that had countered the aggression and criminality from a few with the compassion and resilience of the many" with the PM.
It comes as Taylor Swift is said to have reached out to the Southport stabbing victims' families privately ahead of her Wembley gig.
