Monday Memory: May 10, 2022
Today’s Monday Memory takes us back to May 10, 2022. William and Kate officially opened a memorial to victims killed in the 2017 suicide-bombing of the Manchester Arena. The attack during an Ariana Grande concert killed 22 people and injured hundreds of others.
William and Kate officially opened the Glade of Light memorial and met with families of the victims at a reception inside the Manchester Cathedral after the dedication. People reported some of the speech that Prince William gave:
"I remember only too well the shock and grief on the faces of those I met when I visited Manchester in the days following the atrocity," he said. "And the rawness of emotion at the Commemoration Service, held at your Cathedral just here, a year later. Five years on I know that the pain and the trauma felt by many, has not gone away."
Prince William added, "As someone who lives with his own grief, I also know that what often matters most to the bereaved is that those we have lost are not forgotten. There is comfort in remembering. In acknowledging that, while taken horribly soon, they lived. They changed our lives. They were loved and they are loved. It is why memorials such as the Glade of Light are so important. Why Catherine and I so wanted to be amongst you today."
The then-Duchess of Cambridge chose to wear her Michael Kors Indigo coat (first worn in New Zealand on ANZAC Day) with Ruper Sanderson heels. She was carrying a Polène Paris coordinating handbag.
Kate was wearing an Ashley Clarke lapis lazuli necklace, but that was not the jewelry that caught everyone’s attention. Kate debuted new earrings to pay tribute to Manchester. Again, People pointed out:
Kate paid tribute to the city's symbol of the worker bee with her honeycomb earrings. While the bee has been one of the most well-known symbols of Manchester for over 150 years and part of the Manchester City Council's coat of arms, it quickly became a symbol of the city's unity against hate and terrorism following the 2017 attack. It was widely shared on social media, used in graffiti and worn to show solidarity.
Reading back through this event reminded me that—as senior royals—William and Kate are two of the nation’s chief mourners. They are expected to show up to the scenes of tragedy and heartbreak and help carry the burden of grief with both the victims and the country as a whole. It’s a weighty responsibility.
William alluded to his own heartbreak in his speech, and Kate carries a special grief now, too. These two have always executed this part of their duties beautifully, but moving forward, I think they will have even more depth and empathy.
Good morning. Your last paragraph really caught me in the throat. William and Kate’s ability to show such grace and humanity in the face of their challenges is a powerful testament to their strength and compassion. It’s a reminder of how personal loss shapes us, often in ways that allow us to be more present for others in their time of need. Grief has a way of deepening our capacity to connect with others, and the last paragraph of your post truly moved me.
The couple are indeed among their nation’s chief mourners and I’ve noticed several recent statements on their social media accounts after tragedies in the UK or Commonwealth. It is a weighty burden and a role which William, in particular, took on at a young age when his mother died. The illnesses of Catherine and the King last year have given them more direct experience of suffering. Empathy and compassion are qualities that they both have in spades and they bring those qualities to public mourning in ways that seem more personal, warm and sincere than many politicians are able to achieve. The UK and the Commonwealth are lucky to have them.