William and Kate Visit Riot Torn Birmingham

Aug 19, 2011
Jo Harrington

Image: Birmingham Shop After the Riots (August 2011) - Jo Harrington

Senior members of the British royal family have been out in riot hit London and Manchester. Today the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Birmingham.

Prince William and his bride, the erstwhile Kate Middleton, were today touring Birmingham. Britain's second city has been rebuilding, after riots saw the death of three men and damaged properties throughout its city centre and some of its suburbs. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met with some of those directly affected, as well as meeting local dignitaries.

William and Kate in Birmingham.

William and Kate's first stop was at the Summerfield Community Centre, in Winson Green. They were greeted by Paul Sabapathy, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Councillor Anita Ward, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, and Chris Sims, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police. A mixed group of local residents, business owners and emergency service personnel were waiting inside to meet them.

Amongst those awarded a private audience with the royal couple were the families of Haroon Jahan, Shazad Ali and Abdul Musavir. The three men were killed on August 10th, 2011, when a car was driven into them. They had been part of a human cordon to protect local shops from looters. Their subsequent funeral was attended by 20,000 mourners.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge then visited some of the sites that had been damaged in the riots. These included Machan Express Shop and Cafe, in Solihull, where owners claimed £20,000 worth of stock was stolen by looters.

Mixed Reaction of Brummies to the Royal Visit.

The people of Birmingham were out in force to welcome William and Kate. The couple are generally viewed as popular, after their recent wedding warmed hearts and provided a much needed boost to the British economy. A large crowd of Brummies gathered outside Summerfield Community Centre, cheering every glimpse of the couple.

However, some disgruntled voices were to be heard on Twitter. Some, like Rowly_Emmett, bemoaned the fact that reporters were missing the point by focusing on what Kate Middleton was wearing. Londoner PhuTuma wrote, "Isn't it a bit to late for William and Kate to be visiting the riot affected areas in Birmingham today?!"

Most commentators were favourable to the couple in general and their visit in particular. Those witnessing the visit appeared excited, as in the tweet from AntoniaGentile, which read, "William and Kate are in birmingham visiting victims of the Birmingham Riots. They are visiting the shop in my apartment building!!"

The Response of the British Royal Family to the Riots.

While riots devastated parts of Britain's major cities, the royal family were slow to respond. Politicians, religious leaders and news commentators filled the media with soundbites, but Buckingham Palace has maintained its silence until this week.

Senior members of Britain's first family have been out visiting some of the cities affected, over the past two days. Two days ago, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, toured some of the worst hit places in London, including Tottenham, where the riot wave began. Yesterday, Prince Harry was in Salford, Manchester. In each city, the royals have met victims and those who were on the front line during the nights of violence.