Representing The King in marking the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham Pub Bombings, The Duchess of Edinburgh visited the city to address those who had attended the memorial event, remembering the 21 people who were killed in an alleged IRA attack.
On 21st November 1974, there were two blasts at the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern In The Town, which killed 21 people and injured another 200. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) never officially admitted responsibility for the attacks, but they are believed to have been behind them.
The Duchess marked the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham Pub Bombings on behalf of The King. (Royal Family)
The Birmingham Pub Bombings are considered to be one of the most deadly attacks throughout The Troubles – a decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland between unionists, who wanted to remain part of the UK, and republicans, who sought a united Ireland.
The bombing ended up in the conviction of six men who were found guilty of the terrorist attacks, but had their convictions overturned 16 years later, following multiple appeals highlighting major flaws in the police evidence, concerns over the treatment of the men during interrogation. The victims’ families are now hoping a public inquiry could force the disclosure of new evidence and identify those responsible for the attack.
Sophie began reading The King’s message which stated that Charles and Camilla hold all those affected by the ‘dreadful attack’ in their thoughts and ‘remember the 21 people who lost their lives so cruelly and all who were injured, many of them grievously’.
Through his sister-in-law, King Charles said that what happened 50 years ago was ‘one of the ‘so many dreadful tragedies in a devastating period that touched us all, many of us very personally’. The King lost his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, who was killed alongside three other individuals by a Provisional IRA bomb in 1979, when a bomb was placed on his boat whilst fishing with his family in County Sligo.
In a message with an optimistic tone, Sophie recounted Charles’ message, that he was pleased ‘to see the brave strides forward that have since been made towards lasting peace and meaningful reconciliation, and the close bonds of love and friendship which now bind this city together, makes me exceptionally proud and thankful’.
He also expressed his ‘sincere admiration’ for the people of Birmingham who have lived their lives ‘so courageously with the grief of that day and the days that followed’.
Her Royal Highness joined in the minute’s silence to remember the victims of the bombings. (Royal Family)
‘Your exceptional strength of spirit and resolve has truly embodied this wonderful city’s elemental motto: Forward’.
His Majesty concluded his message by saying that he was ‘very sorry’ not to be present at the event in Birmingham but his ‘thoughts, prayers and very best wishes remain with you all as you mark this saddest of days’.
During the commemorative event, there was a minute’s silence followed by the names of the victims being read out by Birmingham MP Jess Phillips and former West Midlands Mayor Andy Street. As the names were read out, family members of the victims laid a rose one-by-one on the memorial.
