Kate Middleton meets families of Southport stabbing victims in first public engagement since finishing chemo
The Princess of Wales has made a surprise visit with her husband to meet the bereaved families of the Southport stabbing victims. The unannounced trip to Merseyside was William and Kate’s first joint official outing since the princess’s course of chemotherapy cancer treatment ended in the summer. Kate and William privately met the families of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, all fatally stabbed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 in Southport, and the children’s dance teacher.
After spending about an hour and a half with the bereaved families, the royal couple visited the Southport Community Centre to engage with emergency responders and health practitioners who are supporting the local "blue light" community. Kate, 42, was dressed in a long brown coat, a burgundy polka dot dress and heels, her hair styled in curls, and maintained a solemn expression as she spoke with Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside Peter Oliver, who welcomed the couple.
It is believed that the visit was initially intended for William, 42, alone, but Kate chose to accompany him to demonstrate her support, empathy, and compassion towards the community. The princess has been gradually resuming her public duties after announcing in a video four weeks ago that her chemotherapy treatment had ended and she would be focusing on "doing what I can to stay cancer free". Kate was spotted last week embracing 16 year old aspiring photographer Liz Hatton, who is battling a rare form of cancer.
The teenager was invited by William to Windsor Castle to take photos during an investiture ceremony he was hosting. A few weeks ago, she also made a private visit to watch the English National Ballet’s matinee performance of Giselle at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, and shared on social media about the "moving and inspiring" show.
William and Kate's visit follows a similar engagement held by the King in August when he also met with the bereaved families and emergency workers. After the stabbings, riots broke out in Southport, with the local mosque and a popular convenience store being targeted, leading to further violence across the country for several days.
The chaos included looting, with hotels housing asylum seekers also coming under attack before counter demonstrations seemed to calm the disturbances. The violence, which Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned as "far-right thuggery," was triggered by false rumours about the identity of a teenage suspect who was later charged with three counts of murder.
