King arrives in Southport to meet stabbing attack survivors: Charles inspects sea of floral tributes to victims before he speaks with children who were at dance event where three girls were killed
King Charles has arrived in Southport to meet survivors of the stabbing attack that left three young girls dead.
His Majesty is in town to speak to the children who witnessed the horrific chaos during the Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
The monarch will also speak privately with people who directly experienced the terrible events of July 29, including relatives of survivors and aid workers.
It is believed he will also meet the families of the innocent young victims of the knife attack in London tomorrow: Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar.
Upon arrival, Charles viewed the sea of flowers in memory of the victims, then spoke to those who had experienced the same nightmare last month.
Charles has expressed his shock and sympathy over the events and has wanted to visit in person for some time.
But he wanted to wait until those affected were ready for a royal visit and there would be less pressure on emergency services in the region.
Charles, 75 and still undergoing treatment for cancer, flies in from Scotland, where he is spending the summer.
The King is travelling from Scotland to Southport today to meet affected children and their families. He imagined visiting the floral tribute to the victims on Tuesday
It comes after a fatal stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class left three children dead, including Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven (pictured)
Bebe King, six, was also killed in the horror attack in Southport last month
Alice Aguiar, nine, died in the early hours of the morning after being rushed to hospital following the attack
After his private meeting with the children and their families, he meets with members of the Southport community outside City Hall.
He then heads to the nearby Southport Community Fire station, where he meets representatives from Merseyside’s emergency services and local community groups.
He will be welcomed by regional leaders including Liverpool and Sefton Mayors Steve Rotheram and Councillor Jane Burns, Sefton MP Patrick Hurley and Sefton Borough Council Leader Marion Atkinson.
At the station, he will hear from members of Merseyside’s police, fire, rescue and ambulance services as they talk about the roles they are required to play in responding to recent events and protecting people in the area.
He will also meet with local groups affected by the violent unrest in Southport, including religious leaders.
More than 50 police officers were injured when around 1,000 people gathered outside a mosque after misinformation spread online about the identity of the murder suspect.
As the unrest spread, more than 1,000 people were arrested nationwide, with more than half of them facing charges.
Charles, 75, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, is expected to fly from Balmoral, where he yesterday inspected troops from the Royal Regiment of Scotland (pictured)
The King asked for daily updates on the riots that broke out after the deadly attack in Southport
In the city, far-right thugs set fire to a police van as more than 1,000 people gathered after false information was shared on social media
The king is also said to have dealt ‘privately’ with the issues that had caused the shocking national unrest and violence.
Earlier this month it was revealed that the King had asked for “daily updates” on the riots that followed the Southport atrocities and that, on government advice, he could visit affected communities in the future.
It was clear that he was keen to keep abreast of the rapidly changing situation.
He is also said to have held ‘private discussions’ about the issues that had caused the shocking national unrest and violence.
Buckingham Palace declined to go into detail about the form of that involvement.
However, sources stress that His Majesty has devoted much of his life, as King and Prince of Wales, to promoting community cohesion and interfaith dialogue.
This came after some called for the royal family to take the lead in the national crisis.
Others, however, pointed out that the king should be seen as impartial, especially given the vitriolic and deeply divisive political discourse surrounding the riots.
A tribute to those who died in the Southport bombings was held on the same night that unrest broke out in the city
Queen Elizabeth, remarkably, did not intervene by issuing a public message during the equally explosive riots of the summer of 2011, which were sparked by the killing of Mark Duggan by the Metropolitan Police.
She is also said to have refrained from speaking publicly on the matter on official advice.
Sources stressed that His Majesty was fully aware that the Government had to take the lead in an immediate response to the problems.
He issued a public message after the tragic attacks.
But given the security demands surrounding a royal visit – and police forces in affected areas stretched to the limit – this would only happen at a time when it would not put an additional strain on frontline emergency services and would not worsen the situation on the ground while the country remains a powder keg.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, from Banks, Lancashire, will stand trial next year after being charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a stabbing weapon in a public place.