UK
Princess of Wales has handbag ‘stolen’ by baby boy on visit to Aberfan
The Princess of Wales has had her handbag “stolen” by a baby boy on a visit.
One-year-old Daniel reached out and snatched Kate’s handbag as the royal stopped to talk to mother-of-two Lucy Williams.
The “priceless” moment came at the end of a trip to the Aberfan Memorial Garden on Friday – the site of a 1966 disaster in which 144 people were killed.
Mrs Williams, 30, whose mother-in-law survived the tragedy, described the “memorable” encounter and praised the Princess of Wales for the way she handled her curious child.
She said: “He just stole her handbag. He took a shine to it and she let him play with it.”
Her mother-in-law, Carole Williams, added meeting the royal had been “priceless – something to remember”.
Prince William and Kate were visiting Aberfan, the site of the 1966 coal tip disaster, for the first time.
A coal-tip avalanche released ash slurry covering homes and schools, leading to the deaths of 116 children and 28 adults.
The Prince and Princess of Wales walked through the Aberfan Memorial Garden to pay their respects to the victims of the disaster.
As they arrived, they were greeted by people in the village, which is not far from Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales.
They were shown around the memorial garden, which sits on the site where Pantglas Primary School used to be.
It was swallowed by the landslide on the morning of 21 October 1966 – with pupils still inside.
Aberfan survivor and former Pantglas student, David Davies, along with Lord Lieutenant of Mid Glamorgan, Professor Peter Vaughan, guided them through the garden.
The couple also met trustees from the Aberfan Memorial Trust who maintain the garden and spoke to some of the Aberfan Wives group who lost relatives in the incident.
David Davies, an Aberfan survivor, showed the royal couple around the memorial garden
The Aberfan Wives group lost family in the tragedy
Queen Elizabeth II – William’s late grandmother – visited the site eight days after the disaster and after a mass funeral had taken place.
Her initial absence was criticised at the time and it was said that the delay was one of the greatest regrets of her reign.
Nevertheless, mourners gathered to meet the Queen on 29 October 1966 and it is said the bond formed lasted the rest of her life.
The Queen went on to open the memorial garden in 1974 for survivors, victims’ families and the village to pay their respects.
She also opened a new school called Ynysowen Community Primary on her final trip to Aberfan in 2012.
Read more:
Prince William and Kate abseil off Brecon Beacons cliff
Coronation stamps issued by Royal Mail
Queen Elizabeth opened Ynysowen Primary School in Aberfan, in 2012
On the 50th anniversary of the disaster, the King – then the Prince of Wales – visited the village with a message from the Queen.
In it, she said: “I well remember my own visit with Prince Philip after the disaster and the posy I was given by a young girl which bore the heartbreaking inscription ‘from the remaining children of Aberfan’.
“Since then we have returned on several occasions and have always been deeply impressed by the remarkable fortitude, dignity and indomitable spirit that characterises the people of this village and the surrounding valleys.”