King Charles Shares Condolences Following Tourist Bus Crash in Italy: 'Profoundly Saddened'
"My wife and I have been most shocked and profoundly saddened by the news of the terrible bus accident," the King said in a statement
MIHAI BARBU/AFP via Getty
King Charles at a press conference in Bucharest, Romania on June 2King Charles has expressed his condolences to those impacted by the fatal tourist bus crash that happened near Venice, Italy earlier this week.
On Friday, the Royal Family shared the King's message to Sergio Mattarella, the President of Italy, on social media. On Tuesday, a bus transporting tourists drove off a bridge and burst into flames along the outskirts of Venice, multiple outlets reported, killing 21 people and injuring at least 18 others.
"Dear Mr President, My wife and I have been most shocked and profoundly saddened by the news of the terrible bus accident in Mestre and would like to express our deepest condolences to the families of all those who have tragically lost their lives and to those who have been injured," Charles said, referencing his wife, Queen Camilla.
"During our visits to Italy, we have always been struck by the kindness and generosity of the Italian people," he continued. "Our thoughts, prayers and heartfelt sympathy are with all those who have been affected by this appalling tragedy."
Related: 21 People Dead After ‘Apocalyptic’ Tourist Bus Crash in Italy
Reuters reports that the electric bus crashed through a guardrail before falling over 33 feet into the ground near train tracks in a scene described as "apocalyptic" by Mayor Luigi Brugnaro. Among those killed were the Italian bus driver and people carrying passports from Austria, Croatia, France, Spain and Ukraine, Venice's prefect, Michele Di Bari, told the outlet. He also called for three days of mourning.
King Charles (who was then known as the Prince of Wales) last officially visited Italy in October 2021, when he attended the G20 Summit in Rome and attended a dinner hosted by the president at the Quirinale Palace.
A few years earlier, he and Camilla made stops to Florence, Venice, Naples, Amatrice and Rome during a 2017 trip through the country — including a visit at the Vatican with Pope Francis.
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Charles signed the message to Mattarella with "Charles R," the traditional signature for the monarch dating back to the 12th century. The King has continuously signed this name this way since his accession in September 2022, including a message to President Joe Biden amid the Hawaii wildfires over the summer.
The "R" in the signature stands for Rex in Latin for the King, but means Regina when used by Queens. King Charles poignantly penned his name this way on a handwritten note that topped the coffin of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, during her state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London last year.
"In loving and devoted memory, Charles R," the emotional note read.
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