Prince and Princess of Wales meet with families of dance class stabbing attack

LONDON (AP) — Prince William and the Princess of Wales on Thursday carried out their first joint public engagement since the end of Kate’s chemotherapy by meeting the bereaved parents of victims of a stabbing rampage in the seaside town of Southport.

The royal couple spent 90 minutes meeting privately with the families of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, who were killed at the Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29. They also met with their teacher.

The couple later met with emergency workers at a community center, and told them how much their efforts had helped the families of the victims.

“I can’t underestimate how grateful they all are for the support you provided on the day,'' Kate said. “On behalf of them, thank you.”

William and Kate sat beside each other on a bench and listened to their stories. Once the cameras left, Kate offered a hug to responders who were struggling to express their feelings.

“You’re all heroes,'' William said. "Please make sure you look after yourselves, please take your time, don’t rush back to work.”

The Princess of Wales revealed in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, in a stunning announcement that followed weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts.

The princess disclosed her condition in a video message that followed relentless speculation on social media that began when she was hospitalized for unspecified abdominal surgery in January.

In a recent video, Kate said she had completed chemotherapy, and planned to slowly return to public duties, “undertaking a few more public appearances” in the coming months.

But she acknowledged that the path to recovery would be long and she would “take each day as it comes.”

Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/royalty

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, speak to members of the emergency services during a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, meet a critical paramedic during a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, meet members of the emergency services during a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, speak to members of the emergency services during a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, arrive to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, arrives to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, smiles as she meets rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, smiles as she meets rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, meets rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, speak to members of the emergency services during a visit to Southport Community Centre to meet rescue workers and the families of those caught up in the Southport knife attack earlier this year, in Southport, England, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Danny Lawson, Pool Photo via AP)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by police at Manila's international airport Tuesday on order of the International Criminal Court in connection with a case of crime against humanity filed against him, the Philippine government said.

Duterte was arrested after arriving from Hong Kong and police took him into custody on orders of the ICC, which has been investigating the massive killings that happened under the former president's deadly crackdown against illegal drugs, President Ferdinand Marcos' office said in a statement.

The Manila office of the International Police received an official copy of the arrest warrant from the global court and the notice for an arrest warrant was served to the former president, the government said.

It was not immediately clear where Duterte was taken by the police. The government said the 79-year-old former leader was in good health and was examined by government doctors.

“He's now in the custody of authorities,” the government said.

The ICC began investigating drug killings under Duterte from Nov. 1, 2011, when he was still mayor of the southern city of Davao, to March 16, 2019, as possible crimes against humanity. Duterte withdrew the Philippines in 2019 from the Rome Statute in a move human rights activists say was aimed at escaping accountability.

The Duterte administration moved to suspend the global court’s investigation in late 2021 by arguing that Philippine authorities were already looking into the same allegations, arguing the ICC — a court of last resort — didn’t have jurisdiction.

Appeals judges at the ICC ruled in 2023 the investigation could resume and rejected the Duterte administration’s objections. Based in The Hague, the Netherlands, the ICC can step in when countries are unwilling or unable to prosecute suspects in the most heinous international crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who succeeded Duterte in 2022 and became entangled in a bitter political dispute with the former president, has decided not to rejoin the global court. But the Marcos administration has said it would cooperate if the ICC asks international police to take Duterte into custody through a so-called Red Notice, a request for law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and temporarily arrest a crime suspect.

Security officers patrol the airport after former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested, in Manila, Philippines, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

FILE - Former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte speaks inside the Southorn Stadium during a thanksgiving gathering organized by Hong Kong-based Filipino workers for the former populist president in Hong Kong on March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Vernon Yuen, File)