The Princess of Wales has made an emotional pilgrimage with her husband to Southport to comfort the families of the three girls who lost their lives in July’s knife attack tragedy.

In her most significant public engagement to date this year, Catherine, 42, joined Prince William to meet with the families of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.

They also spent time with dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, who was seriously injured as she shielded youngsters as they were attacked by a knifeman during a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday class.

Afterwards the couple spoke to emergency responders who attended and helped on the day.

Prince William had promised the families and local community he would visit as soon as possible and his visit has long been scheduled in for today.

The trip was the first public engagement since the Princess of Wales announced she had completed her chemotherapy treatment

Catherine met the families of the three girls killed in July’s Southport knife attack during an emotional visit to the town with her husband, Prince William (both pictured today)

The royal pair also spent time with dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, who was seriously injured as she shielded youngsters (Prince William and Princess Kate are pictured on Thursday)

Three girls were killed at the Taylor Swift-themed dance class, including Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven (pictured)

Bebe King (left), six, was also killed in the horror attack in Southport in July, alongside Alice Aguiar, nine (pictured right)

But the decision by his wife to join him was more recent. It is understood that she wanted to ‘show her support, empathy and compassion to the local community’.

At the time of the incident the couple shared a personal message of shock and sympathy for those affected and, like her husband, the princess has kept a keen eye on events since.

In a deeply personal statement released in the wake of the attack, the Princess wrote: ‘As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through.’

It is the first public engagement for the princess since she announced last month that she had complete treatment for cancer and would undertake a carefully calibrated return to public duties.

Apart from a small media contingency, the visit was kept deliberately low key as both the prince and princess wanted it to remain as discreet as possible out of respect to those involved.

Their meeting with the victims’ families was held completely in private and not announced publicly until they had left.

However, the couple then went onto meet with emergency responders who were involved in the aftermath of the attack at a local community centre to hear about their experiences and speak to mental health practitioners who have been working to deliver long term support to the blue light community in Southport.

Kate and Prince William spoke with survivors as well as emergency services involved in the dealing with the aftermath of the attack 

The Prince and Princess of Wales meet a critical care paramedic from the Air Ambulance during a visit to Southport Community Centre

The Princess appeared emotional while talking with one critical care paramedic today 

Later the royal couple had a sit down meeting with other members of the emergency services 

Pictured is the royal couple speaking with emergency workers who were among those to respond to the tragedy in July 

It is understood that it was important to them to go now, three months later, to show the people of Southport that they have not been forgotten and they’ll continue to stand by the community today and in the future.

William and Catherine’s Royal Foundation made a donation to the the National Police and Wellbeing Service’s fundraiser to help fast track psychological and physical rehabilitation for police and ambulance personnel who were involved in the attack and the subsequent riots.

Last month the Princess of Wales announced that she had completed a course of preventative chemotherapy after it emerged earlier this year that evidence of cancer had been found following abdominal surgery.

Kensington Palace said she would embark on a slow and measured return to public duties, bearing in mind her continued recovery. 

Although she had held meetings in private and photographs of her hugging cancer patient Liz Hatton, 16, were released last week, today’s event is her first official public engagement since then.

The Princess of Wales made the surprise visit as she slowly makes a return to public engagements following her cancer treatment

Last month the Princess of Wales announced that she had completed a course of preventative chemotherapy. She is pictured in a video with Prince William announcing the news  

In the video, Kate and William are seen playing with their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six

She also made a private visit a few weeks ago to watch the English National Ballet’s matinee show of Giselle at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, and posted on social media about the ‘moving and inspiring’ performance. 

The Princess also hopes to join her family on Remembrance Sunday. 

In August, King Charles paid tributes to the victims of the Southport stabbing during an emotional visit to the town.

The monarch was greeted with cheers and applause as he viewed a floral display honouring the youngsters killed in the horror knife attack. 

He also met with survivors of the rampage. 

Reacting to the tragedy at the time, King Charles said: ‘My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport today.

‘We send out most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack.’

During the his trip to Southport town hall, Charles was greeted by Dr Ruth Hussey, the vice lord lieutenant of Merseyside, and counsellor June Burns, the mayor of Sefton.

He then viewed a large makeshift memorial dedicated to the victims, gesturing in appreciation at the scale of it. One member of the public gave him three cheers and another shouted ‘thank you for coming’ as he greeted the crowds.

The King visited Southport in August, a month after the horrific stabbings took place 

The monarch appeared moved by the huge number of floral tributes left in Southport 

At the time, King Charles said he and Queen Camilla were ‘profoundly shocked’ by the attack

Prince William and Kate also sent their ‘love, thoughts and prayers’ to the families of those killed in the ‘horrid and heinous attack’

Prince William and the Princess of Wales are pictured arriving in Southport on Thursday 

The King affectionately patted one young girl on the shoulder as he shook hands with many of the hundreds gathered to see him.

One little boy, Max, eight, gave him a small red silk heart he had made himself, prompting the King to gently pat his head in thanks. 

The monarch was also given some pink hearts crocheted by a woman and promised to ‘give them to Kate and Charlotte’. 

Following the stabbings, rioting broke out in Southport with the local mosque targeted and a popular convenience shop attacked, with further violence across the country for a number of days.

The disorder included looting with hotels housing asylum seekers also attacked before counter demonstrations appeared to quell the disturbances.

The violence, denounced as ‘far-right thuggery’ by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, was sparked by false claims about the identity of a teenage suspect later charged with three counts of murder.