Podcast 12 - Kate pays her respects to murdered UK woman, Sarah Everard.

Sometimes it is low key acts that can have a big impact. This was the case today when the Duchess of Cambridge visited Clapham Common in South London with Kate making a private visit and intermingling with members of the public at an open air bandstand where tributes are being left for murdered 33 year old woman Sarah Everard. 

Brits have been gripped by the story of Sarah Everard who was reported missing by her boyfriend. She had last been heard from on 9.30 pm.  on March 3rd, 2021 close to her South London residence . Her body was discovered one week later in woodlands in Ashford, in Kent, some 60 miles away from where she was last seen, dead inside a builder’s bag.

The arrest of London Metropolitan police office, Wayne Couzens, 48, who is charged with Sarah’s kidnapping and murder has caused women lots of concerns.

Sarah’s death has prompted women across the UK and beyond to share their own experiences of sexual violence and abuse and has reignited public debate over women’s safety.

UK protest organization Reclaim these Streets had wanted to hold group vigils in honour of Sarah around Britain, but the organizers would have broken the UK coivd-19 lockdown rules had they done so, and each organizer could have faced a fine in the region of  ten thousand pounds.  The group were unsuccessful in having a court make an order, allowing a loosening of the pandemic rules that prevent large groups of people from assembling together. 

Instead online vigils and a country wide doorstep vigil were planned and hundred of thousands of pounds pledged for women's charities.  

The bandstand at Clapham Common, close to where Sarah was last seen alive, has become a shrine for Sarah with hundreds of people taking their turns to come and lay flowers in memory of Sarah and for other women who have lost their lives to violence perpetrated against them by men. Many of the attendees are pictured in tears at another loss of life of a blameless victim.

Kate made an extremely low key visit to the bandstand dressed in her jeans and a casual jacket, accompanied by a single female protection officer also dressed in jeans and a puffer jacket to blend in. Had her visit not been captured by a member of the public and released on social media we might not have known that Kate was there. 

After the video was released, Kensington Palace released a statement confirming that it was Kate’s intent to make a private visit, saying that Kate “wanted to pay her respects to the family and to Sarah”. Kensington Palace added that Kate remembers what is was like to walk around London at night before she was married to William. 

It was good to see Kate standing in solidarity with women and showing her respects. 

Please keep listening out for future podcasts about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and please take a minute to rate my show.