UK King And Queen Express ‘Enduring Solidarity’ At 9/11 Memorial

NEW YORK, April 30 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) -- The UK's King Charles III and Queen Camilla wrote that they “stand in enduring solidarity with the American people” as they commemorated those killed during the September 11 attacks on Wednesday, PA Media/dpa reported.

Their words of sympathy were written in a message left with a bouquet of flowers placed during their visit to the memorial in New York, honouring the thousands of people who lost their lives there almost 25 years ago.

The handwritten note, in the King’s distinctive black script, said: “We honour the memory for those who so tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001.

“We stand in enduring solidarity with the American people and in the face of their profound loss. Charles R Camilla.”

Those who died have been immortalised by the tribute Reflecting Absence – twin waterfall pools that sit in the footprints of the World Trade Center’s north and south towers which were brought crashing down when terrorists flew passenger planes into the buildings.

The king and queen laid the bouquet of white roses at the edge of the south pool during a moment of reflection.

The couple were joined by media mogul and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, chairman of the 9/11 memorial museum, who took up office just a few months after the attack.

Surrounding the waterfalls, which plunge almost 10 metres into a large basin before the water drops again, six metres into a central void, are the names of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

According to the memorial’s architect, Michael Arad, the pools represent “absence made visible” and although water flows into the voids, they can never be filled.

The royal couple are on an official visit to the United States and on Tuesday attended a White House state dinner held in their honour by President Donald Trump. The king and Trump also held bilateral talks.

--BERNAMA-PA MEDIA/dpa