Prince and Princess of Wales honour victims of Aberfan disaster

William, Prince of Wales and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales have honoured the victims of the Aberfan disaster by visiting the memorial garden built to remember those who lost their lives in the coal-tip landslide

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Prince William and Princess Catherine have visited the village of Aberfan in Wales
Prince William and Princess Catherine have visited the village of Aberfan in Wales

William, Prince of Wales and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales have visited a memorial garden built to honour those who died in the Aberfan disaster.

The royal couple headed to Wales to pay their respect to the victims of the coal-tip landslide which struck the village of Aberfan in October 1966, submerging a number of houses as well as Pantglas Junior School killing 116 children and 28 adults.

On Friday (28.04.23), Prince William and Princess Catherine visited the Aberfan Memorial Garden - situated on the site where the school once stood - and spoke to survivors as well as relatives of those who perished.

They also visited the graves of the victims and laid a bouquet of white flowers which was signed "In Loving Memory" in both English and Welsh.

The garden was opened in 1974 by the late Queen Elizabeth, who previously visited the site of the disaster back in 1966.

The couple's visit to Aberfan comes after they met a former mountain rescuer called Bob Thomas and Nick Richards who both helped at the scene in the aftermath of the landslide.

During a trip to the nearby town of Merthyr Tydfil to meet with the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team, William told the pair: "It must have been terrifying. It's a real pleasure to meet you both. My grandmother told me many times about Aberfan."

The Queen was previously criticised for waiting more than a week before travelling to the site of the disaster, but Bob told her grandson the late monarch made the right decision.

He explained: "Your family did the right thing in not coming immediately, because it would have been a distraction."

The tragedy was caused by a spoil-heap - a pile of waste material removed during the coal mining process - which slid down the mountainside after heavy rain and engulfed a large swathe of the village of Aberfan.

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