KATE AND WILLS MEET BATACLAN
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge listened attentively as victims recounted their ordeal during the couple’s high-profile visit to Paris.
At the same time, anti-terror police evacuated thousands from Orly airport on the edge of the French capital after a man grabbed a soldier’s automatic weapon and shouted: “I am here to die for Allah – there will be deaths.”
He was shot dead and the airport went into lockdown. But the Royals’ tour continued without interruption.
William and Kate met survivors of the Paris attacks, in which 129 people died in November 2015, and victims of last year’s Nice lorry terrorist atrocity, which left 86 dead.
During the meeting at Les Invalides – a military hospital which houses Napoleon’s tomb – the Duke told the Bataclan survivors: “We think you are very strong and very brave, you’ve made amazing progress.”
Among them was Jessica Bambal Akan – shot seven times in the leg, hip and back during a birthday meal near the Bataclan concert hall.
Jessica, 25, was with three friends outside La Belle Equipe. They all survived but pal Victor Munoz, who was inside, was killed.
HONOUR
Jessica said: “At first I didn’t want to talk about it because of all of the pain and grief. Now I want to say we are not only victims, we have lives, we have boyfriends, girlfriends, work.
“I want to speak about my friend who died to honour him, I want people to remember who he was.”
William hailed the “quick-thinking” of her boyfriend, who made a tourniquet for her leg as she lay wounded.
“It’s been very difficult,” Jessica continued. “I got through this because of my friends, my boyfriend, my family who helped me all the time.”
She used her convalescence to learn Italian and now hopes to run fashion shows – telling the Duchess she had noted her Chanel outfit.
The Duchess said she would be keeping an eye out for Jessica’s work.
Another survivor was a 28-year-old fireman, named as Kevin, who was shot in the leg by Islamic State gunmen at the Eagles of Death Metal gig.
Asked about his emotional recovery, he told the Royals: “It gave me a challenge, I like a challenge.”
The Duchess said: “You’re a very brave man.”
Kevin said of meeting Wills and Kate: “It was a very positive experience because I was able to speak about what I went through. It feels very important to tell these stories and be listened to.”
Both Jessica and Kevin still receive treatment at Les Invalides. The Royals also heard the extraordinary tales of some of the hospital’s oldest inhabitants – centenarians who worked for the Allies in World Cops at airport after Ziyed Ben Belgacem, left, was shot