King Charles arrives in Southport to meet survivors of tragic knife attack

King Charles III is in Southport today to meet with survivors and grieving families following a tragic knife attack that left three children dead. The shocking incident occurred on July 29 during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

When the King arrived in the Merseyside town at around 1.30pm on Tuesday afternoon, he met some of those affected in a private meeting to hear first-hand about the ordeal faced by some of the young survivors.

At Southport Town Hall, King was greeted by a large crowd. People gathered around a memorial filled with flowers and stuffed animals for the three young victims: six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar. The day after the attack, local residents held a vigil outside the town hall.

READ MORE: Thug threw missiles at police officers during violent scenes in front of mosque

READ MORE: Police send a strong message to suspects in the riots in a renewed appeal

Tributes included balloons reflecting the ages of the lost children and heartfelt messages, including a poignant note that read: “God has gained three beautiful new angels… May you dance and be at peace in heaven forever.”

The King then took time to speak to those present at the scene, including the children who witnessed the tragedy, their relatives and the police liaison officers who supported them. The King will also meet the three grieving families in London on Wednesday.

Locals gathered outside the town hall from around 11.30am hoping to share a moment with the monarch. Later in the day, Charles will be greeted by local politicians at Southport Community Fire Station, where he will learn about the role of Merseyside's police, fire and ambulance services.

In the days following the heartbreaking attack in Southport, riots broke out in the Merseyside town and across the country. The unrest led to looting and attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers before counter-demonstrations appeared to calm the unrest.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the violence as “right-wing extremist violence”. The unrest was sparked by false allegations about the identity of a juvenile suspect who was later charged with triple murder.

The family of the last child to be discharged from hospital earlier this month criticized the “riots” and attacks on police officers, stressing that “our police officers were the first on the scene when the terrible events occurred.”

As unrest reached its peak following the Southport stabbings, King Charles demanded daily briefings on the national situation. It is unclear what issues he focused on, but he has long championed interfaith dialogue as a means of uniting groups and is committed to community cohesion.

The communities have been shaken after violent unrest broke out in some areas and mosques were targeted. The Muslim population now lives in fear and terror.

In a series of talks earlier this month with the Prime Minister and senior police officials, His Majesty the King stressed the need for unity and praised the “community spirit” that emerged in response to the unrest. He also expressed his “heartfelt gratitude” to the officials who restored peace.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, has been charged with triple murder and attempted murder of yoga teacher Leanne Lucas, businessman John Hayes and eight minors, whose identities are protected by legal anonymity provisions. He has also been charged with carrying a kitchen knife with a curved blade.