William and Kate Return to Southport to Support Community

The Prince and Princess of Wales returned to Southport to offer ongoing support after the July 29, 2024 knife attack at a Taylor Swift–themed dance class that killed three girls: Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9; Bebe King, 6; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7. The couple visited Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School, where they were greeted by around 430 children, met members of the school council, spoke with teachers and school councillors about the impact, and held private meetings with bereaved families including Elsie’s parents and sister. They spent time with the injured dance teacher, met emergency responders, mental‑health practitioners and community leaders who have been providing long‑term support, and received personal mementos such as friendship bracelets during private meetings. William and Kate have contributed to local fundraising and to a playground opened in the girls’ honour, and in a speech William urged classmates to “be brave, be joyful and be kind,” praising the families’ resilience. This was their second visit since October 2024, coming after attacker Axel Rudakubana was convicted and jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years, and took place amid an ongoing public inquiry into how the killings could have been prevented.