Prince Harry surprised traders and members of the public as he visited Borough Market the day after it reopened, following the recent terror attack. The 32-year-old royal chatted to vendors and restaurateurs who were affected by the atrocity, as he walked around the popular central London food market. Locals and tourists have been encouraged to go back to the market and support the small businesses. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: "Prince Harry was keen to come down as soon as possible to spread the message this vibrant market is open for business."
He was met by Borough Market security officer Ganga Garbuja, who was first on the scene and led several people to safety. Harry also spoke to trader Matt Jones from Bread Ahead, whose staff helped fight off the terrorists on the night of the attack. Matt told the Prince: "The business was in full operation. I was at home at the time but I had staff working on the night of the attack. Two of them got involved throwing bread crates at the attackers to try and save one of the women being attacked. It was really bad."
Prince Harry bought a box of donuts from Bread Ahead
Harry said: "The strength of this community and London as a whole is magic." Clearly tempted by the delicious jam-filled donuts, the Prince also bought a box to take home. Harry was able to sample some of the fresh produce on offer as he stopped by the various stalls, including the Borough Cheese Company and Paul Wheeler Fresh Supplies, who was sending fruit and vegetables to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Prince Harry donates to Grenfell Tower victims
The royal also sampled local produce from the Borough Cheese Company
Borough Market was extremely busy on the night of the attack, and Harry thanked restaurant and bar staff who helped save lives. He met Jack Appleby, who got people to safety by pulling the shutters down on the Market Porter pub. "It is absolutely marvellous that Prince Harry came here today. It means a great deal to everyone connected with the market," said Borough Market managing director Darren Henaghan as the Prince's 45-minute visit came to an end.