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  "path": "/royal/prince-william-lauds-bravery-southport-survivor-garden-party",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-08T20:00:50.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Catherine and Zara dazzle in stunning dresses at Buckingham Palace party",
    "Queen Camilla breaks tradition as she swaps dresses for trousers",
    "Pregnant Eugenie joins Beatrice at party with Taylor Swift in London",
    "Zara Tindall and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\nPrince William told a Southport survivor, \"you're so brave\" during the Buckingham Palace garden party this afternoon.\n\nA yoga teacher who survived the devastating attack shared the emotional reunion with the Prince of Wales on Friday.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nLeanne Lucas, who has become a prominent campaigner against knife crime, discussed her Let's Be Blunt initiative with William during the royal gathering.\n\nMs Lucas described the encounter warmly, saying: \"I met William and Kate when they last came to Southport, so I'm a surviving teacher of the Southport attack 2024, so really it was like meeting an old friend again, because we had such personal conversations last time we met.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Prince and Princess of Wales hosted this afternoon's event on behalf of the King.\n\nThe Let's Be Blunt campaign seeks to persuade knife manufacturers and consumers to abandon pointed-tip kitchen knives, which Ms Lucas argues can become lethal weapons when misused.\n\nHer advocacy work began following the horrific attack in Merseyside in July 2024, which claimed the lives of three young girls: Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, Bebe King, aged six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine.\n\nEight children and two adults were also injured in the tragedy.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMs Lucas said the prince was \"really keen\" to learn about her campaign efforts.\n\nShe 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.\"\n\nBeyond discussing her campaigning efforts, William also enquired about Ms Lucas's personal welfare.\n\nShe explained: \"William wants to check that I'm also keeping an eye on my wellbeing as well as all the knife crime campaigning we're doing.\"\n\n### LATEST ROYAL NEWS\n\n\n\n\n  * Catherine and Zara dazzle in stunning dresses at Buckingham Palace party\n  * Queen Camilla breaks tradition as she swaps dresses for trousers\n  * Pregnant Eugenie joins Beatrice at party with Taylor Swift in London\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Princess of Wales, dressed in a Self Portrait dress paired with a vintage hat, also shared a heartwarming exchange with the Southport survivor.\n\nMs Lucas recalled their conversation: \"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 and she's like 'it's so nice to see you back to the way that you should be and the way that you were before everything terrible happened', so it was nice.\"\n\nThe garden party also brought together other guests with personal connections to the royal family's charitable work.\n\nRhian Mannings, who previously shared a moving televised conversation with Prince William about her husband's suicide, spoke with him once more at Friday's gathering.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHer one-year-old son George passed away following a seizure in 2012, and her husband Paul took his own life just five days afterwards.\n\nShe described the prince as \"always so supportive\" and noted their October meeting at her home to discuss mental health and bereavement support.\n\nMaria Butler from Buckinghamshire presented the Princess of Wales with \"Never Alone Buddies\" crafted by a socially prescribed knitting group.\n\nZara Tindall and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were also present at the royal occasion.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Prince William lauds 'bravery' of Southport survivor at garden party"
}