Prince and Princess of Wales return to Southport to support families after stabbing

Prince William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, returned to Southport on Tuesday to support families affected by last year’s stabbing attack that killed three children at a Taylor Swift–themed dance class on June 29, 2024: Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; Bebe King, six; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.

After a private, around-20-minute meeting with the parents of Alice and Bebe at Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School, the couple visited Churchtown Primary School to meet staff and pupils and to hear how art-therapy projects have helped the children cope with grief.

Inside the school library, the royal couple sat with Alice's classmates as they described three group paintings that trace their emotional journey. One pupil explained that the first image depicted a wolf-like figure howling in front of a full moon in a forest, with a squirrel in the top left corner representing jumping thoughts they could not control. "In this piece, we chose dark colours for the backgrounds because we felt like we had dark thoughts and we were quite sad about the loss and grief. The rain represented our tears and how we couldn't stop them, in that they were uncontrollable," the child said. A boy added that the squirrel symbolized the speed of their thoughts and the difficulty of sharing them.

Kate, who studied history of art at St Andrews University, bent to listen and responded, "Gosh, it's very powerful." The pupils described a second painting showing a blooming flower with their handprints on it, signifying that they were beginning to work together. "The flower represents growth and our handprints are us all coming together and us always being there for one another," a student explained. Kate praised the detail and the way the piece spoke to the pupils’ journey, saying it was unusual for young people to express such difficult emotions through art and that they had created something strikingly expressive.

The third painting, the pupils said, depicted how the group supported one another to overcome sadness. A boy explained that the final piece showed the group helping each other through grief, with butterflies representing Alice, Bebe and Elsie, bees standing for Bebe, and a cherry blossom signaling a return of happiness in spring and a sense of hope. "The butterflies represent the three girls, Alice, Bebe and Elsie, and the bees represent Bebe," another pupil added. A girl chipped in, "The cherry blossom represents that in spring we became more happy and weren’t sad anymore and just blossomed up. The hope sign represents that we have hope and that we are looking forward instead of backwards." William praised the depth of the images, saying, "Well done you guys. It’s got such a strong meaning behind it." The couple appeared visibly moved by the artwork and by the pupils’ use of creativity to process their feelings.

Earlier in the morning, the couple held an emotional private meeting with the grieving parents of Elsie at Farnborough Road School. In a later speech to pupils at Churchtown Primary, William urged the classmates of Alice and Bebe to honor the girls’ memories by choosing courage, joy and kindness. He noted the new playground built in the girls’ memory and called it a symbol of the community’s resilience, saying, "This playground is a symbol of how the community have come together to create such a positive space for the pupils of this school — a symbol of remembrance and resilience, a testament that love will always overcome tragedy."

The visit to Churchtown finished with the school’s 700 pupils and staff, plus Alice and Bebe’s parents, gathered to celebrate the new playground. The headteacher and the prince offered remarks as a poem, written by a pupil, was read in the playground. The ceremony concluded with a performance of Proud by Heather Small as the royals received a posy from two Year 6 pupils. A source said William and Kate care deeply for the families and the community, and that it was important to return to show ongoing support.

The playground, built as a memorial to Alice and Bebe, includes a stage, a new indoor and outdoor library, quiet-reflection spaces, a multi-games area, a climbing frame and a bike cycle track for younger children. Fundraising for the project also supported local charities involved in Southport’s recovery, and funds were distributed among three charities established in memory of the girls and Elsie—Alice's WonderDance Foundation, Bebe’s Hive and Elsie’s Story. Alice and Elsie’s fathers and the school’s headteacher took part in fundraising efforts that also included the London Marathon; the royal couple privately donated to the appeal. The girls’ families also presented William and Catherine with Taylor Swift–inspired friendship bracelets to mark the visit.

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ return to Southport underscores ongoing support for families affected by the tragedy and the broader community’s healing process as they look toward a hopeful future.