Prince William and Duchess Kate stepped out in Leicester, England, to honor victims who lost their lives in an October helicopter crash.
The royal couple were stoic on Wednesday, November 28, as they paid their respects to the five people who died when the aircraft went down outside Leicester City Football Club’s King Power Stadium. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the crash site, where they laid flowers among a multitude of other memorials left by mourners.
According to the BBC, William and Kate, both 36, were scheduled to meet with the club’s staff and volunteers. They were then set to travel to the University of Leicester to learn about educational programs to which the club offers its support.
The duchess was polished as usual in a gray Catherine Walker coat dress, black tights and Tod’s black suede heels, which she accented with a prim ponytail, sparkling Cavolfiore pearl stud earrings, an Aspinal of London black patent crocodile bag and a Cartier watch. For his part, the prince wore a black suit, white shirt and blue tie with black shoes.
William and Kate personally knew one of the victims, team owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. The pair honored him and spoke to his family at the event.
“When the man that lead this club to victory died so tragically, the people of this city revealed with their outpouring of admiration that they too shared much of the character that was so central to who Vichai was,” the prince said in a speech on Wednesday. “In a time when our football clubs have become huge global enterprises, you came out to thank Vichai for making the fans the true owners of this club. And you thanked him for investing the rewards of success in the future of Leicester City. You showed that community mattered to him and to you all. You showed us that the losses experienced by other families need to be felt keenly by our own.”
The duke also released a statement following Srivaddhanaprabha’s death. “I was lucky to have known Vichai for several years,” he said on October 29. “He was a businessman of strong values who was dedicated to his family and who supported a number of important charitable causes. He made such a big contribution to football, not least through Leicester City’s magical 2016 season that captured the imagination of the world. He will be missed by all fans of the sport and everyone lucky enough to have known him.”
