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Royal Family to visit Aberfan to mark 60 years since disaster
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and Prince William will visit Aberfan on the 60th anniversary of the 1966 coal waste tip collapse that killed 144 people, including 116 children, with a ceremony including a prayer, moment of silence, and choir performance.
- The royal family will meet survivors, bereaved families, emergency workers, and community members, visiting the Aberfan Memorial Garden and community centre to reflect on the disaster and rescue efforts.
- Prince William will unveil an Aberfan Memorial Tree at Ynysowen Community Primary School, which continues the legacy of the destroyed Pantglas Junior School.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham emphasized the importance of coal tip safety in Wales during his visit, meeting survivors who expressed the emotional difficulty of the anniversary but the importance of remembrance.
- The late Queen Elizabeth II regarded her delayed visit to Aberfan as one of her biggest regrets, though she maintained a lasting connection with the community and praised their resilience in a message on the disaster’s 50th anniversary.
