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Southport survivor loved 'magical' William meeting

News imagePA Media Prince William, who is wearing a suit and black top hat, speaks to a woman with wavy brown hair who is wearing a pink floral dress in a crowded garden area with a large white gazebo in the background.PA Media
Leanne Lucas is campaigning to introduce knives with rounded tips

A yoga teacher seriously injured in the Southport knife attacks has described chatting with the Prince of Wales again as like "meeting an old friend".

Leanne Lucas attended a Buckingham Palace garden party where she spoke to William about her Let's Be Blunt campaign, which aims to reduce knife crime by promoting blades with rounded tips.

The Prince, who alongside the Princess of Wales visited Lucas in Southport in the aftermath of the 29 July 2024 attack, told her "you're so brave" after asking how she was getting on personally.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop.

News imageLeanne Lucas, who has long wavy dark hair, and is wearing a white t-shirt with a circular logo with the catchphrase 'Let's Be Blunt' on the front. She is standing in a kitchen looking into the camera with a determined expression.
Leanne Lucas was critically injured and required multiple surgeries after the attack

The Prince and Princess of Wales hosted the garden party on behalf of the King, and met guests from a number of both their patronages, military affiliations and passion projects.

Zara Tindall and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh also attended the event.

After her meeting with William, Lucas said: "It was like meeting an old friend again, because we had such personal conversations last time we met."

She said the Prince was "really keen" to know about her campaign but was also "checking in on how I am" and "it was a nice conversation".

She added: "Today is just magical, it's a once in a lifetime experience, so I'm really honoured to even be invited let alone get to see them again."

Of her conversation with Kate, who was wearing a Self Portrait dress and a vintage hat, she said: "Last time I met her I was quite down.

"We met them while the inquiry was going on, so she just said she is so happy to see me full of energy and passion and enthusiasm again."

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