New photos have emerged showing the Prince and Princess of Wales embracing Leanne Lucas, the yoga teacher who was injured protecting children during last year’s Southport attack.
The images, shared by Lucas in a “2024 memories” Facebook reel, offer a rare glimpse of her private meeting with William and Kate last October.
The previously unpublished photos show both royals hugging the 36-year-old teacher and posing for pictures.
Lucas was running a Swift-themed dance class on July 29 last year when Axel Rudakubana entered the building and began attacking children and adults.
Southport attack survivor shares heartwarming pictures of Princess Kate and Prince William
Leanne Lucas
The vicious attack claimed the lives of three young girls: Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
Eight other children were injured in the attack, along with businessman John Hayes who attempted to intervene.
Lucas suffered serious stab wounds while trying to protect the children.
The royal couple spent 90 minutes meeting privately with families during their October visit to Southport.
Leanne Lucas hugging Princess Kate during a meeting in 2024
Leanne Lucas
The engagement marked Princess Kate’s first official “daytime engagement” following the completion of preventative chemotherapy.
At the time, it was understood the princess wanted to “show her support, empathy and compassion to the local community”.
While most of the visit remained private, the couple were photographed speaking with emergency service personnel who responded to the attack.
Speaking to LBC Radio, Lucas described how the attack left her community feeling “very unsafe”.
Leanne Lucas hugging Prince William at the same meeting
Leanne Lucas
“My purpose was creating wellbeing events for children and families, and for that to happen where I was… has just really dampened all of our spirits,” she said.
In court testimony last month, she spoke of receiving injuries that affected her “physically but also mentally”.
“I, as do the girls, have scars we cannot unsee, scars we cannot move on from,” she told Liverpool Crown Court.
Rudakubana, 18, was handed 13 life sentences for the “evil” knife attack at Liverpool Crown Court.
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Leanne Lucas suffered serious stab wounds while trying to protect the children during the attack
He must serve a minimum of 52 years, though he could not receive a whole-life term as he was 17 when committing the crimes.
An inquiry has since been launched to investigate suspected missed opportunities to stop Rudakubana.
The investigation will examine how he developed what authorities described as a chilling interest in extreme violence.