King Charles Meets Aberfan Survivors 60 Years On

curiousOct 22, 2026·373 words·3 min read

King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales met survivors and bereaved families in the Welsh village of Aberfan on Wednesday, 60 years after one of the worst disasters in British history. Shortly after 9am on 21 October 1966, a coal waste tip on the mountainside above the village collapsed, sending a wave of black slurry into Pantglas Junior School and nearby homes. The landslide killed 144 people, 116 of them children, on the last day of school before the half-term holiday.

The waste had been on the mountain for years, with water springs under it. After three weeks of heavy rain, it became unstable. Reports say workers saw it sinking that morning, but they had no phone to warn anyone. Later, an official inquiry blamed the National Coal Board, the state company that ran the mines. However, nobody was punished.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited on Monday and said sorry for how the state treated the community. Queen Elizabeth II waited eight days before visiting, and people say this was her biggest regret. Today, Wales still has 2,589 old coal tips, or piles of coal waste. Heavier rain from climate change makes people fear more coal tips could slide.

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