King Charles, Queen Camilla 'deeply shocked' as joyful Liverpool parade turns to horror

What was meant to be a night of celebration in Liverpool turned into a heartbreaking scene, prompting messages of sympathy and solidarity from King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The horrific incident occurred on Monday evening following a parade held to celebrate Liverpool's Premier League victory. 

A car drove into a crowd of fans on Water Street, injuring 47 people, including four children.

In a moving statement released Tuesday, His Majesty the King, 76, addressed the people of Liverpool with a message filled with compassion and sorrow: "My wife and I were deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the terrible events that took place in Liverpool on Monday."

"It is truly devastating to see what should have been a joyous celebration for so many could end in such distressing circumstances."

"At this heartbreaking time for the people of Liverpool, I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need."

The monarch also took a moment to praise the city's emergency services: "Our prayers and deepest sympathy are with all those who have been affected, and my special gratitude goes out to the first responders, emergency services personnel and other individuals who rushed to the aid of the injured."

Shortly after the King’s message, Prince William and Princess Kate, who remain out of the spotlight as Kate continues her cancer recovery, also shared a statement via Kensington Palace: "We are deeply saddened by the scenes in Liverpool yesterday. What should have been a joyful celebration ended with tragedy.

"Our thoughts are with those who were injured and to the first responders and emergency services on the ground."

What was the Liverpool incident? 

The incident occurred just after the official Liverpool FC parade ended. 

Authorities say 47 people were injured in the crash, with 27 taken to hospital and at least two, one adult and one child, seriously hurt.

Merseyside Police confirmed a 53-year-old local man has been arrested.  He is believed to have been the driver of the vehicle. The incident is not being treated as terror-related, officials said.

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