King Charles received a thoughtful gift from a child in Southport today as the monarch visited the town to pay tribute to the victims of the horrific stabbings which killed three young girls at the end of July.
The King, 75, was greeting the crowds lining the street when a young boy, prompted by another person, offered the royal a small, red pocket heart.
The adult standing behind the child, who appeared to be a local man, said: ‘Thank you for coming to Southport, it means an awful lot to us.’
As the young boy waved the red heart in the air, the person pointed to it before saying, ‘he’s got a little heart for you, sir.’
The royal took the heart from the boy, thanking him, and asked the youngster where he had found the gift, with the boy explaining that he had ‘bought it in a shop’.
While he was meeting local people who had come out to see him, the King received a red pocket heart from a young boy
Showing his fatherly side, the King patted the boy on the head and said ‘that’s very kind’.
The clip, which was posted on TikTok by @katie121136 was captioned: ‘2 of my kids met King Charles in Southport today and gave him a pocket love heart. He was very friendly with them’.
The King visited the town today and met with survivors of the stabbings in which three young girls were killed.
The monarch was greeted with cheers and applause as he briefly viewed floral tributes before holding a private meeting with the children, their families and others who were at the Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop on July 29 when three were fatally stabbed and ten others seriously injured.
Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, lost their lives at the dance class at the Hart Space Community Centre.
On Wednesday, the King will meet the bereaved families in London.
On arrival at Southport town hall, Charles was greeted by Dr Ruth Hussey, the vice lord lieutenant of Merseyside, and counsellor June Burns, the mayor of Sefton.
He then viewed a large makeshift memorial dedicated to the victims, gesturing in appreciation at the scale of it. One member of the public gave him three cheers and another shouted ‘thank you for coming’ as he greeted the crowds.
King Charles took the red pocket heart from the boy and thanked him for it. The boy revealed he had bought it in a shop, which prompted the King to pat him on the head and tell him how kind he was
King Charles (pictured) visited Southport today to pay tribute to the victims of the horrific stabbings which killed three young girls at the end of July
The King will travel from Scotland to Southport today to meet with affected children and their families. He pictured visiting the floral tributes to the victims on Tuesday
King Charles appeared moved by the huge number of floral tributes left in Southport
The King opened his hands as he spoke of his amazement at the floral tributes left in Southport
It comes after a fatal stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift themed dance class which left three children dead, including Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven (pictured)
Bebe King, six, was also killed in the horror attack in Southport last month
Alice Aguiar, nine, died in the early hours of the morning after being rushed to hospital following the attack
King Charles signs a book of condolence during his visit to Southport Town Hall following the horror attack
The King affectionately patted one young girl on the shoulder as he shook hands with many of the hundreds gathered to see him.
He told one woman: ‘Look at all the flowers’ and said he hoped people had not been waiting too long.
The colourful display of flowers, plants and cuddly toys outside the town hall has been maintained ever since the attacks, with the soft bears and dolls regularly collected by local volunteers and redistributed in dry weather.
The King was then shown inside to meet the children and adults who witnessed last month’s attack as well as the family liasion officers who have been supporting those affected.
People began to gather outside the town hall from about 11.30am to catch a glimpse of the King.
On July 30, the day after 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.’
Wearing a grey suit and tie, the King appeared moved as he walked through the floral display – with hundreds of bouquets left at outside the Atkinson Art Centre Southport.
Earlier, he arrived outside a sunny Southport town hall to a rapturous welcome.
Some members of the crowd clapped while others cheered and shouted: ‘God save the King,’ as His Majesty walked around the sea of floral tributes, teddy bears and balloons.
He stopped to shake the hands of some members of the public, including local Linsey Hislop, 43, who asked him about his health and how he was feeling following his cancer treatment.
‘I’m not too bad,’ the King replied.
Charles, 75, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, is expected to fly from Balmoral. The King is pictured at the floral display in Southport on Tuesday
The monarch also appeared to read some of the messages and tributes left in Southport
The huge display has been left in the wake of the tragic killings of three girls who were stabbed during a Taylor Swift-themed summer party in the town last month
The King waited to visit Southport until the region’s police were less stretched by unrest
King Charles is pictured in the background of the floral display, which also includes a number of balloons and cuddly toys
King Charles appeared moved when he saw the scale of the tributes left for those killed in the attack
He was seen speaking to members of the public as he examined floral tributes in Southport
King Charles waved from the window of his car as he left Southport this afternoon
Mrs Hislop, a foster carer, said she was a ‘big Royalist’ and wanted to come out to show her support.
‘I love the Royal Family, and my son is a police officer who was working during the riots so it’s really good of the King to come,’ she said.
Other members of the crowd appeared emotional and were in tears as King Charles stopped to speak to them.
Southport College worker, Louise Watson, 44, had come down to see the King with her two sons, and two nieces. Running through their names, she laughed, saying, ‘you’re going to love this, we’ve got Charles, Megan, and Harry… it wasn’t intentional!’
‘It’s lovely, it’s great for the kids to see it,’ she said, ‘I think it’s really nice, I think it’s showing respect for the families that have been affected.’
‘I think it’ll mean a lot to the town and particularly for any families that have been involved,’ she added.
King Charles ‘waved straight at’ her other niece, Eleanor, 10, who said: ‘It was really nice to see the King, how he cares, and he’s going to speak to the families.’
Watson’s son, and the King’s namesake, 17-year-old Charles, added: ‘It’s nice that he’s come to show his respect and condolences for what’s happened, it’s a bit of a motivator, a pick-up for Southport.’
‘It’s a wonderful thing, that he’s doing to come,’ Gina Wallwork, 77, said. ‘I do think it’ll mean a lot to everyone in the town, it was right for him to come.’
She added that everyone had been feeling ‘just really sad’ since last month’s attack.
King Charles had tea as he met with community leaders this afternoon and thanked emergency services for their hard work
Britain’s King Charles III meets with representatives from Merseyside’s emergency services and local community groups at the Community Fire Station in Southport
King Charles was seen speaking with police officers who had been involved in the response to the riots
The King spoke with emergency responders after a difficult few weeks for the town
Representatives from local police, ambulance services and firefighters were all present
His Majesty met with those affected by the attack and riots alongside thanking front-line emergency staff for their ongoing work
Charles shook hands with a young girl in Southport and greeted her as he arrived in the town
Hundreds of people, including children on their summer holidays, turned out to greet the King
Residents young and old came together to thank Charles for visiting the town just weeks after the fatal tragedy
The King stopped to talk to locals who had waited hours for a glimpse of him outside the town hall
At one point, the King appeared to read one of the messages of tribute left on one of the bunches as he slowly walked through the floral display
Dozens of balloons and stuffed animals – which are only brought out during good weather – were also on display outside the town hall
Members of the public had been waiting since 11.30am for the King to arrive in order to greet him
‘It’s a wonderful thing the King is doing, to come personally,’ her husband Peter Wallwork, 79, added, ‘and it was a pleasant surprise.’
At one point, he appeared to read one of the messages of tribute left on one of the bunches as he slowly walked through the floral display.
Pink ribbons adorned lampposts and flower beds were filled with paper windmills in tribute to the victims of the tragedy.
Balloons in the shape of stars, hearts, a disco ball and the girls’ ages were among the tributes and messages outside the Town Hall, including one which read: ‘God has gained three beautiful new angels. May you dance forever in heaven and be at peace.’
Charles has already expressed his shock and sympathy at the events, and has been keen to make a personal visit for some time.
But he wanted to wait until those affected were ready for a royal visit and there was less strain on emergency services in the region.
Charles, 75, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, is understood to have flown down from Scotland where he is spending the summer for today’s event.
Following his walkabout the King went inside the Town Hall to meet some of the children and adult survivors caught up in the atrocity at the Taylor Swift-themed event three weeks ago.
Charles spent about 45 minutes meeting survivors before signing a book of condolence in the town hall. He signed his name, adding: ‘In deepest sympathy.’
Outside the building before he left, the King met members of the community who had helped in the aftermath of the attack.
Paige Whitby, Harriet Neal, Naomi Taylor, all 13, and 10-year-old Emie Todd said they had raised £2,000 for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital by selling lemonade.
Naomi said: ‘It was shocking to meet the King. We were excited and nervous.
‘He asked us about school and whether we were enjoying our holidays.’
Joanne Martlew was there with son Harvey, seven, who presented Charles with a pair of Scottish cufflinks.
Ms Martlew, a retired emergency service worker, said she had been driving past the dance class on the day of the attack when she saw victims coming out and went to help, assisting six of those injured.
She said Harvey, who had witnessed some of the aftermath, took ice creams to police officers in the days after the incident and they took teddies which had been left in tribute near the scene to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
She said: ‘It was brilliant to see the King. I last saw him in 2008 when he was prince. He was just really pleasant.’
Members of the Lord Street in Bloom gardening group, who have been looking after the flowers outside the town hall, were also there to meet the King.
Helen Marshall, 71, said: ‘I think it’s very important he is here. We’re under a cloud and we need something to boost morale.
‘The last few weeks have been devastating but the community spirit is the thing keeping us going.’
Pauline Morris, 60, added: ‘There have been thousands of flowers left. It has been an honour and a privilege to work there.’
King Charles is pictured inspecting some of the floral tributes in Southport on Tuesday
The King was accompanied by members of his security team and the press
King Charles III waved as he arrived in Southport to meet local community and emergency services
His Majesty arrived earlier on Tuesday to meet with the survivors and families of the victims of the tragic attack. King Charles is pictured arriving in Southport
The crowd welcomed the monarch as he arrived, with some singing ‘God Save The King’
Charles is seen surrounded by locals during his visit to Southport on Tuesday
Siblings Antony and Jenna Johnson, who distributed free ice creams from their family business Triviso to children in Southport in the days after the attack, also met the King.
Mr Johnson said: ‘We feel super-privileged to be here. It was lovely to meet the King, he was so nice to speak to. He said we’d done a fantastic job.
He added: ‘It was nice for the children whose homes had been destroyed and they didn’t know why.
‘It brought people out to chat together, creating a space where there was no fear. One little girl said she hadn’t left her house but came out to get an ice cream.’
Ms Johnson added: ‘We wanted to give out ice creams after the riot because the kids had all been terrified and we wanted to give them something to come out of the house for.’
Faye Priestley, an account manager for Travis Perkins, organised donations of building supplies to those whose homes were damaged in the riots and also helped to mend the fence at the mosque.
She gave the King a Travis Perkins cap, prompting him to chuckle and say: ‘You get these sales people everywhere.’ Ms Priestley then gave him her business card, causing more laughter as the King said: ‘They should be very proud of you.’
Charles was also introduced to Angela Bayliff, 48, a cleaner at Southport Football Club whose seven-year-old granddaughter witnessed the attack and was among those meeting the monarch inside the town hall.
Ms Bayliff said she had organised for all of the condolence cards attached to the flowers left in tribute to be laminated and collected in folders and on pin boards donated by five local shops.
Then he met members of the emergency services at the town’s fire station and will talk to faith leaders, including imams who came under attack at a local mosque in the immediate aftermath of the stabbing.
Members of the public stopped and waved as the King’s convoy drove past them in Southport
Charles took time to do a walkabout in the town centre and speak to residents, many of whom asked after his health
The King was seen laughing and in good spirits as he spoke with members of the public
Earlier this month it was revealed that the King had asked for ‘daily updates’ on the riots sparked by the Southport atrocity
He was met on arrival by regional leaders including the Mayors of the Liverpool City Region and Sefton, Steve Rotheram and Councillor Jane Burns, Sefton MP Patrick Hurley and Sefton Council leader, Marion Atkinson.
More than 50 police officers were injured as up to 1,000 people gathered outside a mosque after misinformation was spread online over the identity of the suspect in the killings.
More than 1,000 arrests were made nationally as the disorder spread and more than half of those charged.
Earlier this month it was revealed that the King had asked for ‘daily updates’ on the riots sparked by the Southport atrocity and could visit affected communities in the future on government advice.
It was understood that he was keen to be kept updated on the rapidly evolving situation.
He was also said to be engaging ‘privately’ around the issues that the shocking national unrest and violence had generated.
Buckingham Palace declined to go into detail of what form that engagement is taking.
But sources stressed that that His Majesty has spent much of his life, both as King and as Prince of Wales, working to encourage community cohesion and interfaith dialogue.
It came amid calls by some for the Royal Family to take a lead amid the national crisis.
However others pointed out that the King must be seen to be impartial, particularly given the vitriolic and hugely divisive level of political discourse around the rioting.
The King asked for daily updates on the riots which broke out after the fatal attack in Southport
In the town far-right yobs set a police van on fire as more than 1,000 people gathered following false information being shared on social media
The King was also said to be engaging ‘privately’ around the issues that the shocking national unrest and violence had generated
A tribute to those killed in the Southport attacks was held on the same night as unrest broke out in the town
Queen Elizabeth, notably, did not intervene by issuing any public message during the equally explosive summer 2011 riots, sparked by the killing of Mark Duggan by the Metropolitan Police.
She would also have refrained from speaking publicly around the issue on official advice.
Sources stressed that His Majesty was acutely conscious any immediate reaction to the trouble should by led by the Government.
He issued a public message in the aftermath of the tragic attacks.
But given the security requirements around a royal visit – and with policing stretched to the limit in affected areas – it would only happen at a time when it did not place any additional burden on frontline emergency services or risk inflaming the situation on the ground while the country was still such a tinderbox.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, from Banks, Lancashire, will stand trial next year after being charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.