FOLLOWING IN DIANA'S FOOTSTEPS THE PRINCE OF WALES

TAKES UP HIS MOTHER'S MANTLE WITH HUMANITARIAN PLEA

After rubbing shoulders with Hollywood A-listers at the Bafta Film Awards in London, the Prince of Wales congratulated the winners before heading straight home to Windsor for an early night.

Prince William has made the daily school run a priority while his wife the Princess continues her recovery from abdominal surgery, so the next day, he drove Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis to school at Lambrook, putting parenthood first.

And it was his strength of feeling “as a father” that prompted him to make a powerful statement the following day – one that quickly dominated the news agenda.

The Prince was visiting the British Red Cross headquarters in central London, to hear about efforts to support those suffering as a result of the conflict in Gaza and Israel, when his statement was issued.

It read: “I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October. Too many have been killed.

“I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It’s critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.”

CALL FOR PEACE

William continued: “Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home.

“Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found.”

On the eve of a crucial House of Commons vote on whether to call for an immediate ceasefire, his apparent intervention quickly attracted criticism from some quarters.