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King Charles III, Queen Camilla and Prince William will visit Aberfan on Oct. 21 to mark the 60th anniversary of the 1966 disaster that killed 116 children and 28 adults.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
King Charles III, Queen Camilla and Prince William are scheduled to visit Aberfan in south Wales on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to mark the 60th anniversary of the disaster that killed 116 children and 28 adults. The visit will include meetings with survivors, bereaved families and emergency service workers at the Aberfan Memorial Garden and the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre.
On Oct. 21, 1966, a colliery spoil tip from the nearby Merthyr Vale Colliery collapsed, sending 150,000 tons of mud and slurry into Pantglas Junior School and surrounding houses. The disaster occurred on the last day of school before the fall term break. Nearly half of the school’s students were killed, most between the ages of seven and ten.
The tragedy has remained a significant part of British history, partly due to the initial response by the late Queen Elizabeth II. She waited eight days before visiting the village, a decision her former private secretary, the late Lord Charteris, later described as poor advice. Charteris stated it was the biggest regret of her 70-year reign. The Queen returned to Aberfan four times during her reign, including to open Ynysowen Community Primary School in 2012.
During the upcoming visit, a short prayer and a moment of silence will be held in the memorial garden, which stands on the site of the primary school. King Charles and Prince William will lay wreaths, while Queen Camilla will place a posy in memory of those lost.
At the community centre, the royals will meet retired emergency service workers, including a 96-year-old former police officer who responded to the collapse. They will also view an exhibition detailing the scale of the rescue effort. The group will spend time with former Pantglas Junior School pupils, siblings of victims, and members of the Aberfan Wives, a support group for mothers who lost children.
Prince William will separately visit Ynysowen Community Primary School to unveil an Aberfan Memorial Tree. The tree, designed by ArtMetal, a family-run metalwork company in Rhayader, Powys, aims to provide a permanent place for reflection. The concept was developed by headteacher Simone Roden and Jeff Edwards, a survivor of the disaster who is vice chair of governors at the school.
King Charles has specifically requested to meet Gareth Jones, who was six years old when the disaster struck. Jones survived after a school caretaker pushed him to safety. A photograph of Jones standing beside Prince Philip during the Duke of Edinburgh’s visit to Aberfan in the immediate aftermath reportedly prompted the King’s request. Jones, now 66, told the Daily Mail that he holds no hard feelings toward the late Queen, stating, "To me, she held back as a mark of respect to the families who lost children."
Prince William previously visited Aberfan in 2023 with his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales. During that visit, survivor Jeff Edwards noted that the Princess was deeply touched by the ages of the victims, which were close to the ages of her own children at the time.
The visit marks a significant moment of remembrance for a community that has endured decades of grief and recovery. It highlights the ongoing relationship between the British monarchy and the people of Aberfan, acknowledging both the historical trauma and the resilience of the survivors and their families.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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