Kate Middleton and Prince William meet bereaved Southport families and Leanne Lucas
The bereaved families of the Southport attack and injured dance teacher Leanne Lucas met with Prince William and Kate Middleton this afternoon after the royals visited the Merseyside town. The Prince and Princess of Wales visited Southport to meet with the families of Alice Da Silva Aguiar, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Bebe King as well as hero dance teacher Leanne who shielded helpless children from the attacker who stormed the Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29.
Emergency services descended on the small industrial estate on Hart Street shortly before midday when a knifeman entered the building and killed three schoolgirls. Eight children and two adults were injured in the attack.
But following King Charles' visit to the town in August, his son, William and his wife Catherine, made the trip up north to pay his respects as well as hear from emergency responders who were at the scene of the attack and dealt with the violent disorder that erupted in the region in the days that followed. Meeting members of the emergency services at Southport Community Centre on Norwood Road today, October 10, the couple heard about their experiences and how the community has come together. Earlier in the afternoon, the Prince and Princess hosted a private meeting with the families and Leanne.
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It is believed Leanne was unable to meet the King in August as she continued to recover from her catastrophic injuries but has now been given the chance to meet William and Catherine. During the King's visit to Southport less than a month after the attack rocked the town, he spent time observing the tributes that had been left outside The Atkinson in the town centre before speaking to people from the town who had gathered to see the monarch. He then spent hours speaking to the families of those affected, members of the public and eventually emergency responders and representatives of the community at Southport Community Fire Station.
This is the first time Prince William and Kate Middleton have visited Merseyside since January 2023 when they officially opened the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital on Thursday, January 12. After being taken on a tour of the hospital's critical care unit, the Royals met members of staff, volunteers, and members of the public in the foyer.