King Charles said he was "incredibly touched" that members of the Aberfan community had come to see him at the official opening of the Senedd in Cardiff. The King and Queen Camilla met Noah and Charlie Jones, whose great-grandfather, Stephen Andrew, was a caretaker at Pantglas Junior School and helped save the lives of many children in the Aberfan disaster.
Noah, 10, said he was "excited, nervous, but happy" to meet the King. His mother, Gemma Bray, said Charles had commented "how handsome" the boys were and "how proud" they must be, while Camilla had observed that they "looked like twins".
Survivor's emotional meeting
Gareth Jones, 66, one of the children saved by Mr Andrew, grew visibly emotional as he met the King. "I did cry with him, a bit of a tear," he told reporters, describing it as a "lovely" day. "Meeting the King and Queen – I am gobsmacked," he added.
He showed Charles a photograph taken the day after the disaster and asked if he recognised anyone in it. "He said, oh, is that you over there? I said, yes, I said, do you recognise anybody else? He said, that's the late duke, I said, yes it is." Mr Jones said he would tell Charles more about the photograph during his visit to Aberfan next week.
Remarkable family connection
Mr Jones discovered his connection with Noah while on a visit to his school to talk about the disaster, when the 10-year-old shared a photograph of his great-grandfather. Ms Bray said: "Gareth was telling a story about how the caretaker pulled him through the window, and if it wasn't for the caretaker, he wouldn't be here. He said, all he remembers is him saying, 'run boy, run' just before slurry came down."
She said discovering the connection – that Noah's great-grandfather was the one who saved his life – was "amazing". "It's really nice because it kept us in contact," she added. "He's a lovely gentleman. It's a very proud moment, we've learned lots from Gareth now about their great-grandfather. It was just such a crazy coincidence."
King's address to the Senedd
During the Senedd visit, the King hailed his "special connection" with Wales during an address to the Welsh Parliament. He spoke at the ceremonial opening of the Senedd on Thursday, attending the event with the Queen for the first time since he became monarch. Chants of "not my King" and "down, down, down with the Crown" could be heard as Charles and Camilla greeted First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and Huw Irranca-Davies, the Llywydd (presiding officer) outside the parliament.
He said on Thursday: "I have always felt immensely privileged, and proud, to have had such a special connection with Wales – with its language, its culture and its landscape – for so much of my life. As you take forward your task of government, we know you will bear always in mind, and draw inspiration from, those shared strengths, as you work on behalf of the people of this most special corner of the Earth."
"Pob bendith ar eich gwaith er lles y wlad arbennig hon," he added in Welsh, meaning: "Heartfelt thanks for your work for the welfare and success of this special land." In his speech, Charles also said: "I am enormously touched that people from the Aberfan community are with us today. There could be no finer witnesses to the strength of the Welsh, and the human, spirit."
The King has attended every opening of the Senedd, including the first in 1999 as the former Prince of Wales, but this was his first as king. Charles, Camilla and the Prince of Wales are due to make a rare joint appearance when they visit Aberfan next week to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the tragedy.
