Bebe King's grandad has paid tribute to the six-year-old on the second anniversary of the Southport attack. Bebe, along with Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, were killed in the attack at the Hart Space in Southport on July 29, 2024. They had been enjoying a Taylor Swift-themed workshop with 23 other children. After the attack, the town showed an outpouring of love for the girls and all those affected, including the eight children and two adults who survived their injuries.
Grandad's album and podcast
Bebe's grandad Michael Weston-King fronts the band My Darling Clementine with his wife Lou Dalglish. He recently appeared on the Misadventures in Music podcast, released on July 20, where he spoke about his recent solo album, released on Bebe's birthday on April 4 this year. The album contains four songs that remember Bebe and touch upon her death.
Speaking on the podcast, he said: "When you experience something like that, something so life-changing, it would have been easy to make a dark, miserable and angry record but I really don't think we needed that. Yes, there's some sad songs on there but there is also some uplifting, joyous music and kind of a search for hope and something better to come really."
He added: "That's one other thing that has been said about the record, it isn't 40 minutes of misery, it's optimistic and positive as well as reflecting on some of the darker things we have felt during the time over the last couple of years. It's [about] healing as well as heartbreak, that's what I've been saying it is. It's an optimistic listen as well as a sad one at times."
Cathartic process and response
He said: "When something as major as this happens you just can't help but put it into your art and into songs. It was incredibly cathartic, not just writing the songs, the recoding of them, but getting out on the road and playing them." The response has been "incredible" and "kind of celebratory of Bebe and her short life".
Bebe's Hive charity
Bebe's family have formed the charitable foundation Bebe's Hive since her death, with the aim of supporting children through grief. On its website, the charity said: "Grief is not one-size-fits-all. There is no hierarchy of loss and no set timeline for healing. Bebe's Hive exists because children deserve support that recognises their individuality and honours their lived experience."
"We chose the name Bebe's Hive intentionally. A hive is a nurturing community – protective, connected and purposeful. Bees work together to build something strong, safe and sustaining. They care for one another. They create structure around vulnerability. That is exactly what we are building."
Bebe's Hive is described as "a calm, welcoming environment where grief is acknowledged, but does not define the child. It is a space rooted in belonging – where creativity opens doors to conversation, confidence and connection, and where children are free to simply be themselves."
World Bee Day tribute
Earlier this year, vast areas of Southport were seen covered in yellow on World Bee Day as the town collectively remembered Bebe.
