Royal visit to Southport: Prince William and Kate Middleton meet families of stabbing victims

Prince William and Kate Middleton were in Southport today to visit emergency responders who were at the scene of the tragic stabbing that claimed the lives of three schoolgirls and injured ten others.

The Royal couple's visit comes a month and a half after King Charles' visit to the town.

On July 29, Monday, emergency services rushed to The Hart Space, situated on a small industrial estate on Hart Street in Southport, following reports of a stabbing during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

The horrifying event resulted in the deaths of Alice Da Silva Aguiar, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Bebe King, while eight children and two adults sustained injuries.

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In the aftermath, vigils and services were held throughout the town, with King Charles visiting on August 20 to meet with the families of those injured, the bereaved families, and the emergency responders who attended the scene and dealt with the violent disorder that unfolded across Merseyside.

Today, Thursday, October 10, Prince William and Princess Kate visited the Compassion Acts charity building on Sussex Road and Southport Community Centre on Norwood Road, where they paid their respects to the bereaved families and met Leanne Lucas.

Leanne bravely shielded the children from the assailant, sustaining injuries herself. According to updates from her friend Esther Shahroodi, Leanne has been in and out of hospital since the incident but is thought to be on the mend.

The Prince and Princess have journeyed north to learn about the community's unity following the tragedy and to express their gratitude to those instrumental in the town's restoration, reports the Liverpool Echo.

During the King's visit to Southport less than a month after the devastating attack, he took time to observe the tributes left outside The Atkinson in the town centre before engaging with locals who had gathered to see him. He then spent hours conversing with affected families, members of the public, and eventually emergency responders and community representatives at Southport Community Fire Station.

This marks the first time Prince William and Kate Middleton have visited Merseyside since January 2023 when they officially inaugurated the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital on Thursday, January 12. After touring the hospital's critical care unit, the Royals met with staff, volunteers, and members of the public in the foyer.

The Princess of Wales was presented with a bouquet of flowers by an NHS volunteer before they began mingling with the crowd inside. Some attendees even managed to snap selfies with the Royals, a rare occurrence given that Royal protocol typically discourages such actions.