King Charles III to meet survivors of Southport attack

King Charles III will meet some of the survivors of the Southport knife attack later on Tuesday.

Three children were killed and 10 other people were seriously injured when a 17-year-old attacked those attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.

The 75-year-old monarch will make his first official visit to the town on Tuesday and meet with those affected by the tragedy, from survivors to the local community and emergency staff.

According to Buckingham Palace, King Charles will first meet locals outside Southport Town Hall before attending a private meeting with some of the young survivors and their families.

He will also visit the Southport Community Fire Station to meet with local MPs and members of Merseyside's emergency services and hear about their experiences responding to the incident and the subsequent riots.

After the tragedy, King Charles and Queen Camilla sent their "most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies" to those affected by the "appalling attack".

"My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport today," he said in a statement at the time.

News of his visit comes shortly after Taylor invited two young girls affected by the event to one of her recent Eras Tour shows in London. Photos posted by their mum on TikTok showed the pop star meeting the girls backstage.

The Shake It Off singer previously spoke out against the attack on social media, writing, "The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I'm just completely in shock... These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families."

The suspect, who is now 18, was charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and one of possession of a bladed article on 1 August.