Meghan Markle, the British Duchess of Sussex who now lives in California, has paid tribute to the victims of a school shooting in Texas by visiting a memorial near the site of the massacre.
Markle was spotted on Thursday laying a bouquet of white roses at a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse, not far from the scene of the senseless slayings at Robb Elementary School.
On Tuesday, gunman Salvador Rolando Ramos, 18, perpetrated the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade, killing 19 small children and two teachers before being shot dead by police.
Markle’s visit to the small community roughly 80 miles west of San Antonio was unannounced, and came as a surprise to the town, which is still reeling in shock from the deadly tragedy.
The duchess’ Texas trip also comes as her own father Thomas Markle, 77, recuperates under medical supervision after suffering a suspected major stroke earlier this week.
Speculation has swirled about whether she would visit his bedside in Chula Vista, California, only a few hours’ drive from the home she shares with Prince Harry in Montecito, following years of strain in their relationship.
Paying her respects in Texas, Markle was dressed incognito in a simple T shirt, jeans and ballcap, but nevertheless sported on her left wrist a $6,900 Cartier Love Bracelet and Princess Diana’s $23,000 Cartier Tank Watch.
It was unclear whether Markle’s husband Prince Harry, who lives with her and their two children in Montecito, accompanied her on her journey to Texas, but he was not seen at the memorial with her.
Accompanying the duchess was the head of her security team Alberto Alvarez, who once handled protection for Michael Jackson. The bodyguard looked on from a respectful distance as Markle toured the impromptu memorial.
Approaching one of the crosses, dedicated to eight-year-old boy Uziyah Garcia, the youngest victim in the attack, Markle reached down with her head bowed and placed flowers.
She also walked around the memorial, looking at the white crosses bearing the names of the other victims of Tuesday’s carnage.
President Joe Biden also plans to visit Uvalde in the coming days. He has called on lawmakers to take on America’s powerful gun-rights lobby and enact ‘common sense gun reforms.’
The Uvalde shooting was the deadliest since 20 elementary-age children and six staff were killed at the Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012.
Developing story, more to follow.
