Prince William and Princess Kate have been praised for their visit to Southport, where they toured the schools of the three girls who tragically died in the July 2024 dance class attack.
While there, the royal couple met with the parents of Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.
The three children lost their lives during an attack on the Taylor Swift-themed dance class they were attending on July 29 last year.
Their parents expressed deep appreciation for the royal support during emotional meetings at Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School and Churchtown Primary School.
King Charles and Princess Kate have been praised for their emotional trip to Southport
|GETTY
During their visit, Alexandra Aguiar, the mother of Alice, showed the royals a performance stage area at Churchtown Primary – where Alice and Bebe had attended.
“Prince William asked if that would be her favourite place and I said yes, she would have been there dancing away,” Mrs Aguiar said.
The mother, 34, glowed that Kate and William’s visit had given them and the school’s pupils a “day they will never forget”.
Her husband, Sergio Aguiar, 38, added: “It’s so special to have them here to support us.”
The parents of the three girls who were tragically killed last year described the visit as 'special'
|GETTY
Lauren King, the mother of Bebe, said Kate and William's presence: “Meant everything. It was really special.”
“I think we’re really grateful anyway how Bebe’s been honoured so much in this school, and seeing the prince and princess support that and be here has been just amazing,” she added.
During their private meeting, she gifted the prince and princess a pair of friendship bracelets bearing the words Bebe’s Hive – the charity set up in her daughter's honour.
The royal couple also spent over an hour at Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School, where Elsie had attended, and shared a 30-minute private meeting her parents, Jenni and David Stancombe.
The Prince and Princess of Wales toured two primary schools which had been attended by the three girls
|GETTY
The visit had been something the Stancombes particularly wanted from the beginning, according to infant school headteacher Jennie Sephton.
"It was around the recognition of what staff have done, how they have supported the family, how they have supported the children going forward," Sephton explained.
She described the royal acknowledgement as "so special" for everyone involved.
Adrian Antell, who leads the junior school, highlighted how the royals praised the community's collective response.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
Children at the schools William and Kate visited by also shared their thoughts on the trip
|GETTY
“They spoke so wonderfully about what this community has done together, and they thanked this community for the work they have done," he said.
Students at both schools expressed astonishment at the unexpected royal visit.
Ten-year-old Ellis Paynter recalled his reaction: "We were shocked, I was like, 'We get to talk to the prince?'"
Jessica Hazelhurst, also aged ten, revealed that staff were equally surprised, saying: "All of the teachers didn't get to find out until break time. We all came into school thinking we were getting photos for school council but then it was this,” she said.
The children engaged in conversations about their studies with the royal couple. "We were all very nervous. We talked about what our favourite lessons were," said ten-year-old Zainah Thompson, who noted that Prince William admitted he "wasn't good at maths, but said it's a good subject to learn."
Churchtown Primary headteacher Jinnie Payne observed the pupils' joy, describing their "amazement that their royal highnesses had actually spent time to come to our school."