King Charles, accompanied by his wife and son, will visit south Wales on Wednesday to mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster which killed 144 people, a tragedy which had a deep impact on his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.
Charles, Queen Camilla and heir to the throne Prince William will lay wreaths at a memorial garden, a rare outing together for the three senior royals who often attend events separately, showing the importance attached to the disaster by the family.
After days of heavy rain in 1966, a coal tip collapsed sending a landslide into Aberfan which buried the village school and surrounding houses. Of those killed, 116 were children, mostly aged between seven and 10.
Queen Elizabeth visited eight days later and was visibly moved as she met the parents of children who had died, returning to the village on several occasions.
“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’,” she said on the 50th anniversary.
Marking the 60th anniversary of the landslide on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his thoughts were with the people of the village.
Charles, Camilla and William, will meet survivors and bereaved parents to pay tribute to those who lost their lives.
At a community centre in the village, Jeff Edwards, who as an eight-year old survived the landslide, will speak. He and Elizabeth got to know each other well over the years. She referred to him as “the little boy with the blond hair”.
Charles will also make a speech, before the trio head to the village’s new school to unveil a commemoration sculpture.