King Charles makes sweet favour to Kate Middleton during Southport visit

King Charles accepted a touching gift on the behalf of Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte while interacting with emotional crowds in Southport.

Yesterday, the King visited Southport Town Hall, where he was visibly moved by the extensive collection of floral tributes and gifts set up in memory of the victims of a recent brutal knife attack. 

The tragedy, which occurred last month, resulted in the deaths of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, when a knifeman targeted a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club at the Hart Space Community Centre, leaving ten others seriously injured, reported Mirror.

During his visit to the Merseyside town, Charles took time to view a large makeshift memorial for the victims, acknowledging its significance before engaging with the grieving crowd. 

Many of those he spoke with were tearful and emotional. The King spent about thirty minutes with survivors and their families and signed a book of condolence at the town hall, which was established shortly after the attack. 

Following this, he continued his walkabout, accepting various gifts from the public, including a small silk heart from eight-year-old Max, which led the King to gently pat the boy’s head.

Another gift he was passed was some pink hearts crocheted by a woman called June who asked him to "give them to Kate and Charlotte". "I will," he promised. 

It came after the King expressed his "deepest sympathy" with the victims of the horrific attack as he signed a book of condolence. In it, the King used his own fountain pen to write his name and the date, adding "In deepest sympathy".

Charles later met members of the Southport community outside the Town Hall as well as representatives from Merseyside's emergency services and local community groups at Southport Community Fire Station.

Today the King will meet the bereaved families in London for a private meeting to again express his condolences. Royal aides said the King was keen to travel to the town to stand united with those who had suffered but also thank the emergency services who dealt with widespread riots by far-right thugs in the days that followed.

On the day of the attack, the King released a written statement saying he was "profoundly shocked" to hear of the "utterly horrific incident". He added: "We send our most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack."