King Charles III and Queen Camilla laid flowers at the September 11 Memorial in New York, in a sombre moment during their state visit to the United States.
It is the first time that the royal couple have been to the site, which remembers the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives in the attacks of 25 years ago.
They met families of those who died and talked to some of the first responders involved in the rescue attempt, and New York’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg were among the dignitaries at the event.
The visit took place amid very tight security, with a heavy police presence, road closures, checkpoints and helicopters circling overhead.
In the New York sunshine, the King and Queen left a bouquet of white roses beside the deep pools that now commemorate those who lost their lives at this spot.
There is a museum on the site, which is now a permanent memorial, in an open space surrounded by the city’s skyscrapers.
The King and Queen also had conversations with representatives of charities who have supported the families of victims and educational groups who are preserving the memory of what happened here in 2001.
The importance of the 9/11 attacks had been raised by King Charles in his speech to the US Congress on Tuesday.
He had called on US lawmakers to maintain support for Nato and had given the example of how Nato members had rallied to help the US in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
“This atrocity was a defining moment for America and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world,” said the King. (BBC)
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