William comforts distraught wife of missing pensioner
In an echo of his mother Diana’s compassion, Prince William hugged a grief-stricken Grenfell survivor searching for her missing husband.
He put his arm around 78year-old Fatima Jafari as she wept into his chest.
The Duke of Cambridge ignored royal protocol to comfort Mrs Jafari, who is desperately hoping for news of her husband.
Ali Yawar Jafari, 82, has not been seen since he became trapped in a lift while trying to flee the fire.
His wife sobbed as William told her he would do everything he could to help find her husband.
The moving moment took place as William and the Queen visited victims near the site of the tragedy on Friday morning.
During the visit to the Westway Sports Centre, which is being used as a rescue shelter, the prince talked emotionally about the inferno, describing it as ‘one of the most terrible things I have ever seen’.
William and the Queen were applauded when they arrived at the site to talk to survivors, rescuers and volunteers.
Mrs Jafari’s daughter, Maria, 38, told the Sunday Mirror she was overcome with guilt over not being able to save her father.
She and her mother had gone outside the flat to investigate the severity of the blaze leaving Mr Jafari sleeping inside. But seconds later their home became engulfed in flames.
Maria’s sister nadia, 28, was able to escape but Mr Jafari never emerged from the tower. Maria said: ‘She told me she and my father had got stuck in the lift on the tenth floor. She couldn’t breathe because of the smoke. Someone carried her out and she lost him.’