Royal family honors Aberfan disaster survivors on 60th anniversary

On the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, the King and senior members of the royal family gathered at the village’s memorial garden to pay tribute to the victims of the 1966 coal-waste collapse that buried Pantglas Junior School and nearby homes. Charles, Camilla, William and Catherine each placed wreaths bearing messages of remembrance, while a prayer and a minute of silence were observed. Jeff Edwards, a survivor, addressed the crowd, expressing gratitude for the royal family’s continued compassion and support over the decades.

Former policewoman Rona Price, now 94, met the royals and called the visit a great honour. The ceremony highlighted the community’s “unconquerable spirit” and recalled Queen Elizabeth II’s earlier visits, including her first trip eight days after the disaster and the opening of Ynysowen Primary School in 2012.