by The Prince and Princess of Wales have visited Southport to show support for families caught up in last summer’s fatal knife attack.
“The tragic events that unfolded in this town last year still remain difficult to comprehend,” Prince William said.
The royal visitors spoke to teachers and pupils at Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School and Churchtown Primary School, the schools attended by the three young girls who were killed in the attack – Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine, and Bebe King, aged six.
A playground built in memory of the victims was a “symbol of how the community have come together to create such a positive space”, the prince said.
PA MediaThe playground was also a “symbol of remembrance and resilience, a testament that love will always overcome tragedy”, he added.
The three young girls had been murdered at a dance class in July 2024, an attack which prompted an outpouring of grief and outrage.
Prince William paid tribute to the girls’ classmates and to the pastoral work of the teaching staff, who had “gone above and beyond to help heal this incredible group of young people”.
He promised that no one affected by the attack would be forgotten and told the children listening: “Be brave, be joyful and be kind.”
The royal couple saw an art project helping children to deal with their grief for their lost friends.
“This is something that has deeply affected not only our staff, children, our families, and we are there to support them,” said Jennie Sephton, head of Farnborough Road’s infant school, who hailed the royal visit as “special”.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be solved in a year, children need support and adults need support for a long time,” she said.
PA MediaThe prince praised the response of the bereaved parents: “You have faced such horror, but from that you move forward with grace and fortitude, creating the most remarkable legacies for your girls. We will always be here to support you.”
Two of the bereaved fathers had run the London Marathon to help raise funds in memory of their daughters, along with Jinnie Payne, head teacher of Churchtown Primary School,
Prince William and Catherine had made a poignant visit to Southport last autumn, in what was the princess’s first public engagement after she had finished her chemotherapy.
They had met bereaved families and emergency workers who had responded to the attack in the north-west seaside town, in a visit that was intended to show the local community that they had “not been forgotten”.
The knife attack, carried out by Axel Rudakubana, was followed by a wave of riots and unrest.
A public inquiry into the Southport attack is gathering evidence in sessions at Liverpool Town Hall.
