Kate stuns in pink and grey as she joins William to visit primary school in Southport to meet family and teachers of tragic stabbing victim.
The Prince and Princess of Wales met privately this morning with the grieving parents of tragic stabbing victim Elsie Dot Stancombe during a visit to her former school in Southport.
Prince William and Kate, both 43, visited Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School where Elsie, seven, had been a pupil at the time of her murder.
Axel Rudakubana, 19, attacked a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on June 29, 2024, where he also killed Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and injured eight other children.
Today, the royal couple made an emotional return to Southport to offer their ongoing support for families affected by the tragic murders, after first visiting the area in October 2024.
Upon their arrival in the town, William and Kate, dressed in a smart pink blouse and stylish grey trousers, teamed with a matching coat, were greeted by 430 children at the infant school where Elsie had been due to start in Year 3 last Autumn.
Staff and parents, including Elsie’s mother and father Jenni and David, also joined the group, with local sources saying they were ‘deeply touched’ by the visit. There will be further engagements by the couple later this afternoon.
The royal couple were welcomed by Peter Oliver, deputy Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, June Burns, Mayor of Sefton, Marion Atkinson, leader of Sefton council and its CEO Phillip Porter.
Jennie Sephton, head of the infant school, and Adrian Antell, head of the junior school, then introduced Kate and William to members of the school council - 16 from the junior school and 16 from the infant school.
Inside, William and Kate spoke to teachers about how the school was affected by the tragedy and the support it has provided to pupils, staff and the local community.
They also met privately with Elsie’s parents Jenni and David in the headteacher’s office. Along with Alice's father Sergio Aguiar, David ran the London Marathon in April in memory of their daughters and the Prince and Princess donated to their fundraising efforts.
Earlier this month, the inquiry into the Southport attack heard a statement from Jenni in which she described Elsie as 'our joy, our pride, our everything', adding 'we used to say we had won the lottery, the luckiest parents in the world.'
She described her daughter as a 'dreamer' who 'always had big ideas and the most beautiful imagination'.
At her funeral in August 2024, Elsie’s headteacher Jennifer Sephton described her as 'such a caring and charismatic young lady who loved to please'.
In their own statement following last year's attack, William and Kate said: '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.'
It is the future king and queen’s second visit to the community, which has showed such immense bravery and solitary following the horrific attack last year.
Following their first in October last year, the Prince and Princess issued a statement, saying: ‘We continue to stand with everyone in Southport.
'Meeting the community today has been a powerful reminder of the importance of supporting one another in the wake of unimaginable tragedy. You will remain in our thoughts and prayers. ‘
Today they will continue that promise to stand by the community with an extremely poignant visit, their spokesman said.
In 2024, they met with the families of all three girls murdered by knifeman Rudakubana, then aged 17, who was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January.
William and Kate spent time with the bereaved families, along with brave dance teacher Leanne Lucas, who risked her life to protect the girls and was critically injured in the attack.
The couple also met with emergency responders and mental health practitioners who have been working to deliver support to the blue light community, many of whom remain deeply scarred by what they saw on the day.
A source said they ‘care deeply for the families and the Southport community, and that’s why they wanted to go back to show their ongoing support’.
In April, it was revealed that the Prince and Princess had quietly made a donation to Churchtown Primary School, attended by Alice and Bebe, to help them fund a new playground in memory of the children killed in the knife attack.
The new space is set to be honour the girls' memories and provide an expanded space for children to play in.
Tags: Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Meghan, Lilibet
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