‘Darkest times’: Kate, William’s emotional meeting with Southport families

Prince William and Kate Middleton met the families of the young girls killed in the Southport stabbing, as well as emergency workers. Photo / Getty Images
The Princess of Wales told Southport emergency workers they had supported people through their “darkest times” and acknowledged the experience must have taken “its toll”.
The Princess joined her husband, the Prince of Wales, in the Merseyside town to meet the families of three girls killed in July’s knife attack as well as those involved in the aftermath.
The visit marked her first public engagement since completing cancer treatment and the couple’s first joint outing since the Trooping the Colour in June.
It was the first time the Princess has spoken publicly since stepping back from the spotlight in January for major abdominal surgery followed by chemotherapy.
The Prince and Princess spent 30 minutes with each of the families of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, who were stabbed to death at a Taylor-Swift themed dance class at the Hart Space Community Centre on July 29.
The couple also met privately with dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, who was stabbed in the neck, back and arms as she fought to protect her class.
They then walked to Southport community centre to meet emergency responders and the mental health practitioners offering long term support.
Seated alongside each other on a bench in the garden, the Prince and Princess asked those gathered how they had coped in the aftermath of the attack.
The Princess said the emergency personnel, from the ambulance, fire and police services, had supported the victims through their “darkest times”.
She said: “For you to witness that, you need support yourselves,” adding that the experience must have taken “its toll”.
Asked how the bereaved families were coping, the Princess replied: “They’re okay. They’re managing it differently. All the families are so different. Individually too they are managing it and processing this tragic event in very different ways but they’re getting support from families and officers and things like that.
“I think being able to have opportunities to be able to speak to different people in the community about the experience and drawing that together and sharing their experience I think is massively helpful.”
She told the first responders: “I can’t underestimate how grateful they all are for the support you provided on the day.
“On behalf of them, thank you.”
Prince William told the emergency workers they were “heroes” and “true professionals”.
Phil Garrigan, the chief fire officer for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, revealed the Princess was so moved by what she had heard that she broke off from the engagement to go inside and hug the crews who described their anxiety and the toll the experience had taken on their mental health.
“She could see the emotion in them and could see it was difficult for them to relay their feelings and to say how impactful events have been,” he said.
The unannounced visit was initially billed as a solo public engagement for the Prince of Wales but shortly before it began, it was confirmed that the Princess had decided to join him in order to show her support for the community.
Kensington Palace said in September that following the end of her chemotherapy treatment, the Princess would make a gradual return to a light programme of public engagements, subject to how she was feeling.
Both the Prince and Princess are understood to have felt it was important to visit Southport almost three months after the attack to show the community that it has not been forgotten and that they will continue to offer their support.
Just hours after the killings, the Prince and Princess shared a personal message of support for those affected.
“As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through,” they said.
Their Royal Foundation later made a donation to the National Police and Wellbeing Service to help fast track psychological and physical support for emergency responders.
The provision of mental health support for the emergency services has become one of the key themes of the Prince’s work following his stint as a pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance between March 2015 and July 2017.
During a visit to Wales Air Ambulance last month, he told the pilots and crew: “I made sure all the first responders after Southport were getting any help they needed. It’s important you guys feel supported at the right moment.”
It comes after the King interrupted his summer break to meet the bereaved families and survivors on August 20.
The monarch received a rapturous welcome as he met emergency service personnel, faith leaders and some of those who opened their doors to first responders in the aftermath of the attack and subsequent riots.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, was charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder following the atrocity.
He will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on October 25 for a pre-trial preparation hearing.
The Princess has been seen twice in public this year, at the Trooping the Colour in June and at Wimbledon in July.
On September 9, she released a personal video in which she revealed that she had finished her course of chemotherapy and that her focus was on staying cancer free.
Since then, she has appeared in the court circular twice after holding private meetings for her early years project and her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey.
On October 2, the Princess was photographed back at work for the first time since ending her cancer treatment when she met 16-year-old Liz Hatton, who has a rare and aggressive form of cancer, at Windsor Castle.
Liz, a budding photographer, was given rare permission to shoot pictures behind the scenes of an investiture, as part of her “bucket wish” list, and met the Prince and Princess privately.
As she continues to rebuild her strength, the Princess is hoping to join her family on Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph and to attend her carol service in December.