The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
‘I’ll come back’ vows prince after visit to Grenfell Tower
Royal: Duke of Cambridge joins Queen at rest centre for fire victims
The Duke of Cambridge vowed to return to the Grenfell Tower community as he joined the Queen at a rest centre helping those affected by the devastating fire.
William said the tragedy was “one of the most terrible things I have ever seen” during the visit to the Westway Sports Centre, near the charred remains of the high-rise building in west London.
The Queen heard how the community had rallied in the wake of the blaze and praised those who had come together, adding that their response had “come over very strongly”.
Members of the emergency services, local residents affected by the fire and volunteers were among those who spoke with the royal visitors.
Harrowing cries could be heard inside the hall of the rest centre, where evacuated families and locals have gathered, as groups consoled one another.
Just a short distance away, the Queen and William met volunteers from the Red Cross.
As they left, a man holding a poster of two siblings who have been missing since the fire called out for the duke to go over.
William said that he had to leave, but shouted: “I’ll come back.”
The royal visitors were greeted by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Ken Olisa, with the shell of the tower block visible in the distance behind them.
The Queen, dressed in bright blue, paused to speak to local residents who had gathered outside.
Meeting volunteers in front of tables stacked with donated goods, William discussed the tragedy with one, saying: “Things like that you never want to see.”
He told another: “That’s one of the most terrible things I have ever seen.”
A strong campaigner on mental health, the duke said it was important that those affected talked about the trauma they witnessed and urged volunteers to get the right support.
Loubna Aghzafi, a local resident, told him that many people she had spoken to were unable to share their experiences.
He replied: “They may want to eventually. They must talk about it.”
Ms Aghzafi, 42, who has been helping translate for Moroccan families caught up in the fire, said: “I said to him ‘I was thinking about you yesterday when a woman told me her children are very traumatised’.
“He gave me a contact of one of the charities so I need to contact them and get them to come down.
“He said ‘Please make sure to tell people that they need to talk about it’.”
The Queen and William signed a book of condolence in front of a wall plastered with missing posters describing those feared lost in the fire.
Outside, crowds applauded members of the London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service as they lined up to be thanked by the royal visitors. On Thursday the Queen paid tribute to the “bravery” of firefighters who battled the blaze. weekend, but had yet to decide on a song or which artists to involve.
He continued: “We’ve already had a lot of people call in and say they would love to do it. If they can’t come to the studio then we can record them from anywhere in the world.
“(The song choice) has to have the right message, it has to mean something to the people affected by what happened.
“I hope it will prick a few people’s consciousness and it might spur someone on to do something else.”
Celebrity musicians have already taken it upon themselves to reach out to stricken residents of the London tower block.
Adele visited people at the site, while Lily Allen offered lifts and a bed for those in need and TV chef Jamie Oliver reportedly offered free meals at his nearby restaurant.
Cowell is known for his support of various causes and charities.
In 2010 he produced a charity single for victims of the Haiti earthquake.