King Charles meets families and survivors in Southport after dance class attack that killed three young girls
20 August 2024, 13:50 | Updated: 20 August 2024, 13:55
King Charles has arrived in Southport to meet the families and survivors of the deadly attack in July.
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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.
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.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, died when a knifeman attacked a Taylor Swift dance class. Ten more people were seriously hurt in the attack.
Read more: Taylor Swift meets victims and families of Southport attack before Wembley Stadium shows
Charles was also due to take a public visit to Southport's town hall, speaking with the community about the attack and the subsequent unrest.
The King is also set to meet the families of Bebe, Elsie and Alice in London.
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.
Read more: Taylor Swift meets victims and families of Southport attack before Wembley Stadium shows
As part of the visit, the King will also visit the Southport Community fire station, meeting with staff representing Merseyside's police, fire and rescue, and ambulance services, all of whom were involved in the attack.
King Charles is also set to meet as regional leaders including the mayors of the Liverpool City Region and Sefton, as well as MP Patrick Hurley during the visit.
Local faith leaders from around Southport will also take part in the visit, speaking with the King about their experiences.
The attack was followed by rioting in Southport and across the country.
The disorder included looting with hotels housing asylum seekers also attacked before counter demonstrations appeared to quell the disturbances.
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.
