He has spoken of the need for more empathetic leadership in the world and how it can make a difference to people’s lives. And the Prince of Wales knows all too well the devastation that losing a loved one can bring to a family. So as the Prince and Princess returned to Southport last week to meet the parents of the three girls who died in a knife attack in July 2024, they couldn’t fail to be deeply moved.

Eleven months on from their first visit to the seaside town, which was shattered by the deaths of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Bebe King, six, the couple showed their ongoing commitment to the community, spending time with some of those most affected and learning how they are being helped through their trauma.

Wearing friendship bracelets bearing the name of the youngest victim, given to them by Bebe’s parents, Lauren and Ben King, William and Kate stood shoulder to shoulder with the families as the Prince vowed: “We will always be here to support you.”

Significant moment

 It was a message that meant a lot to those listening, but also gave an insight into how the Prince wants to use his public role for good.

 “He isn’t someone who wears his heart on his sleeve in public – he’s not overly emotional – but it was a very open show of compassion for the Southport families and the school community,” says the BBC’s royal correspondent, Daniela Relph. “Southport was an example of connecting with an event that shocked the country, showing that he and the Princess understood the anguish of that community and promising to support them. It will always be tempered by a bit of royal restraint, but it’s clear that he doesn’t want to be a Prince of Wales who views the world from a distance, at arm’s length.”

 William – who was only 15 when he lost his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales – drew on his own experience of grief and how to support people through it as he recommended the work of Child Bereavement UK. The charity was founded by Julia Samuel, who was a close friend of Diana and is now Prince George’s godmother.

 Speaking as the charity’s patron earlier this year, William said: “Grief is the very worst pain any child or parent will ever endure, and although we cannot prevent these losses, we can ensure that every possible type of expert support and care is given, to help rebuild the lives of those affected.”

Last week, he put those words into practice as the royal couple visited Churchtown Primary School, where Bebe and Alice were pupils. They had earlier visited Farnborough Road Infant and Junior School, where they met Elsie’s parents, Jenni and David Stancombe, privately.

 In a powerful speech, the future King addressed pupils, parents and staff, urging the youngsters to honour their memories and “be brave, be joyful and be kind”. He spoke movingly in a new playground at Churchtown Primary that has been created in memory of Bebe and Alice, describing it as “a symbol of remembrance and resilience” and “a testament that love will always overcome tragedy”.

 The royal couple’s commitment to the people of Southport is an example of Prince William’s vision for the modern royal family: using their influence to make a lasting impact on people by connecting to a place or a cause in the long term.

 “It’s a distinct thing he does, because it still has a royal edge, but it feels personal,” the royal author Robert Jobson tells HELLO!. “They’ve always shown love and compassion, but there’s a clear sense of them really feeling the pain of the people.” 

 The Prince’s openness about his own experience of adversity is informing his outlook, as he reflects on his wife and father’s cancer diagnoses last year.

 “I’d say 2024 was the hardest year I’ve ever had,” he tells Eugene Levy in an episode of the actor’s Apple TV+ show The Reluctant Traveler, which airs on Friday. “Life is sent to test us, and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.”

William is seen arriving on an electric scooter, meeting Eugene for a pint and showing him around Windsor Castle, revealing a less formal side to the future monarch.

 “I’m doing it with maybe a smaller ‘r’ in the royal,” the Prince has said of his approach to his public role. “It’s more about impact, philanthropy, collaboration, convening and helping people.”

In practice, that smaller “r” is not always achievable, especially when there are state visits to host and huge ceremonial moments to lead. But in Southport, it meant sitting in a school office with Jenni and David Stancombe and letting their own schedule slide to give the grieving parents as much of their time as possible.

“It’s real recognition that they value Jenni and David, but that they have also listened. It’s just so special,” Jennie Sephton, the head of Farnborough Road Infant School, said afterwards. Adrian Antell, the head of the Junior School, said of the royal couple: “They’re tremendously supportive, because they are a mum and a dad of children who are similar ages. Every human has huge empathy for what’s happened in Southport and they’ll be no different, but they’re in a position, perhaps, where they can influence and lead and thank people for what they’ve done.”

Later, away from the cameras, William and Kate visited Leanne Lucas and Heidi Liddle, who were leading a dance workshop for local girls when the attack happened. A spokesman for Kensington Palace said the couple were “incredibly struck by how the community in Southport have come together in the face of deep adversity, showcasing the power of love, connection and hope for the future”. Royal sources tell HELLO! that the couple intend to maintain their connection to the community.

Weighty matters

The Prince then travelled to Balmoral to join the King for private time together at the Highlands estate, just as he has done for the past two years. There was no doubt much to discuss, amid the ongoing headlines surrounding Prince Andrew’s relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein and the Duke of Sussex’s recent return to the UK.

Father and son have differing approaches to both issues. Although the King was briefly reunited with his estranged younger son when Harry visited the UK in September, his heir has kept the door firmly closed where his brother is concerned. Meanwhile, Charles continues to allow Andrew to appear alongside his relatives at family events, but William, who is acutely aware of the optics involved, feels that his uncle should be cut loose.

 As the Prince’s own future role comes into clearer focus, these are matters that will need to be addressed. For now, however, his attention is on a forthcoming trip to Brazil for his Earthshot Prize, which raised £24m – its highest figure to date – in the most recent financial year.

Kate is focusing on her early years work and moving into a new family home with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and getting settled for the festive season, which will begin with her annual Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey. Undoubtedly, empathy and connection to the communities that Kate and William have spent time with this year will be at its heart.

Over on The HELLO! Royal Club, HELLO!’s royal editor Emily Nash has addressed recent rumours of a rift between King Charles and his heir, Prince William. Emily spoke to royal insiders to get to the truth of the matter, and you can find out what they said by clicking the button below and joining HELLO!’s biggest royal fans in the biggest royal community online.