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Prince William meets Christchurch attack survivors in New Zealand | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Duke of Cambridge has met survivors of the Christchurch mosque attacks, in which 50 people were killed in March. | |
The duke also met some of the officers and medics who were among the first at the scene of the shootings. | |
He got a traditional Maori greeting from New Zealand's PM Jacinda Arden at the start of his two-day tour. | |
Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex will join the Duchess of Cambridge at an Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey later, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. | |
Anzac Day commemorates the military veterans of Australia and New Zealand. | |
Prince William performed a hongi with Ms Ardern as he was welcomed in Auckland, before attending a service there. | |
He also met four-year-old Alen Alsati - who was injured in the attack and awoke from a coma earlier this week - at Starship Children's Hospital. | |
He then travelled to Christchurch, where he asked officers and medics about how they had put their training into practice. | |
"Nothing really trains you for seeing it in real life", said the duke, who has spent time as a pilot with the air ambulance service in East Anglia. | |
"I'm sure the team pulls together," he said. | "I'm sure the team pulls together," he said. |
New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush said the "emotion was palpable" during the visit and the duke was concerned with how those involved were coping a month on from the attacks. | New Zealand police commissioner Mike Bush said the "emotion was palpable" during the visit and the duke was concerned with how those involved were coping a month on from the attacks. |
"His main piece of advice was to talk to each other, to not bottle things up - to support each other to talk about what they saw and what they do afterwards," he said. | "His main piece of advice was to talk to each other, to not bottle things up - to support each other to talk about what they saw and what they do afterwards," he said. |
At the police headquarters, dozens of messages from the people of Christchurch were pinned up along the corridors, thanking officers for their work after the shootings. | At the police headquarters, dozens of messages from the people of Christchurch were pinned up along the corridors, thanking officers for their work after the shootings. |
Among them was a card that said: "You never give up and you never ever will give up trying to save NZ." | |
Prince William is travelling on behalf of the Queen at the request of Ms Ardern. | |
She said the visit would "bring comfort" as the duke had a "close connection" with New Zealand and Christchurch in particular. | |
"His visit provides the opportunity to pay tribute to those affected by the mosque terrorist attacks and show support to the local and national community," she said. | "His visit provides the opportunity to pay tribute to those affected by the mosque terrorist attacks and show support to the local and national community," she said. |
William offered prayers for the Christchurch community and described the attacks as a "cruel nightmare". | William offered prayers for the Christchurch community and described the attacks as a "cruel nightmare". |
Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) in World War One. | Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) in World War One. |
And Kensington Palace said the duke would "pay tribute to the extraordinary compassion and solidarity" displayed by New Zealanders following the attacks. | |
It is not the first time he has visited Christchurch in the wake of a tragedy. | |
In 2011, he attended a memorial service after an earthquake killed 185 people. | In 2011, he attended a memorial service after an earthquake killed 185 people. |
In a speech that day, he said: "My grandmother once said that grief is the price we pay for love. Here today, we love and we grieve." | In a speech that day, he said: "My grandmother once said that grief is the price we pay for love. Here today, we love and we grieve." |
The Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge also visited New Zealand in 2014, on their first official tour. | The Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge also visited New Zealand in 2014, on their first official tour. |