kate middleton sombre at grenfell with prince william© Photo: Getty Images

Prince William and Kate meet Grenfell Tower fire survivors at emotional memorial service

The royals marked the fifth anniversary of the horrific blaze

Content Managing Editor
June 14, 2022

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge appeared visibly moved as they attended a memorial service to mark the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire. William and Kate were seen arriving at the west London site on Tuesday where the multi-faith service took place, organised by Grenfell United.

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Ahead of the service, the royals met privately with survivors of the fire and those who lost loved ones. A total of 72 people were killed during the blaze in June 2017.

WATCH: The Queen and Prince William visit Grenfell Tower site in 2017

After the private meeting, William and Kate joined the congregation at the foot of Grenfell Tower for the service that included prayers, readings and choir performances.

At the end of the memorial, they were invited to lay wreaths and flowers to pay tribute to those who lost their lives.

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© Photo: Getty Images

William and Kate attended the memorial at the Grenfell Tower site

Grenfell United was formed in the days after the fire by a group of survivors and the bereaved. The organisation works to provide pastoral care for those affected and advocates for families to ensure that such a tragic event is not repeated.

The organisation previously held memorial services outside the Tower site in 2018 and 2019 and during the pandemic it facilitated individual visits to the site for the bereaved and survivors to lay flowers and take time to pay their respects.

© Photo: Getty Images

The service included prayers, readings and choir performances

In 2017, William, Kate and Prince Harry made a donation to the Evening Standard's emergency appeal for the Dispossessed Fund.

In a statement issued to the newspaper, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: "The tragedy at Grenfell Tower has left a number of local people in need of urgent assistance. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are pleased the Evening Standard's Dispossessed Fund has immediately swung into action. As residents of the local area they are keen to offer their immediate support."

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© Photo: Getty Images

The royals also met survivors of the fire

A couple of days after the fire, William accompanied the Queen on a visit to Grenfell where they met those affected by the tragedy, including local residents, members of the community, and emergency responders.

William and Kate most recently met Grenfell survivors during a visit to mark the launch of the National Emergencies Trust, of which the Duke is Patron, in November 2019.

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