Prince William joined King Charles and Queen Camilla in Wales to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the devastating Aberfan disaster. The royal family gathered with survivors and grieving relatives to honor the 144 people who died when a coal waste tip engulfed a school and nearby homes.
The October 21 visit brought three senior royals together for a solemn tribute in Aberfan, where the tragedy continues to shape the community. Among the victims were 116 children between the ages of seven and 10, whose lives ended when the hillside collapsed.
Prince William and King Charles return to Aberfan with Queen Camilla for the 60th anniversary of the mining disaster
According to PEOPLE, William arrived at the Aberfan Memorial Garden before his father and stepmother. King Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 79, joined the Prince of Wales, 44, for prayers and reflections. The King laid a wreath, followed by Camilla, who placed flowers. William then offered his own tribute.
The royals later greeted well-wishers before walking to Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre. There, they met survivors, bereaved parents, former pupils and siblings of children who died. Members of Aberfan Wives, a support group established to help mothers who lost children, also shared their experiences.
They additionally met retired emergency responders, including a 96-year-old former policewoman who helped during the disaster’s aftermath. Representatives from emergency services, St. John Ambulance and the British Red Cross also attended. The Ynysowen Male Voice Choir, formed after the tragedy, performed at the gathering.
Survivor Jeff Edwards, who was eight when the disaster struck, addressed the gathering before inviting Charles to speak. Another survivor, Paul Harries, recalled how lunch lady Nansi Williams shielded children with her body. Harries told PEOPLE she was “a superhero without a cape.” He also described the screams and cries that had stayed with him for six decades.
The memorial garden opened in 1974, following the tragedy and several visits by Queen Elizabeth II. The late monarch faced criticism for waiting eight days to visit Aberfan, though she returned many times afterward. Charles had represented the royal family at the disaster’s 50th anniversary in 2016, describing the community’s grief and selflessness.
William last visited Aberfan with Kate Middleton in April 2023. Following Wednesday’s commemoration, he was scheduled to unveil the Aberfan Memorial Tree sculpture at Ynysowen Community Primary School.
