AG百家乐在线官网

Westminster attack: Families and survivors joined by William, Kate and Harry at service

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were also among those at the ceremony, paying tribute to "innocent lives lost".

Melissa Cochran, the wife of victim Kurt Cochran, arrives at the service
Image: Melissa Cochran, the wife of victim Kurt Cochran, smiles as she arrives at the service
Why you can trust Sky News

A woman whose husband was killed in front of her during the Westminster terror attack joined families of other victims at a service to pay tribute to those who lost their lives.

Arriving in a wheelchair after suffering a broken leg and rib in the atrocity, American tourist Melissa Cochran smiled as she was pushed into Westminster Abbey on Wednesday.

She had been in London when a car driven by terrorist Khalid Masood ploughed into crowds on Westminster Bridge two weeks ago.

Mr Cochran was one of four people killed in the tragedy.

Kurt and his wife Melissa were in London to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary
Image: Kurt and Melissa Cochran were in London to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary

The Service of Hope to remember the victims was attended by 1,800 people of different nationalities and faiths, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Rows of police officers and medics marked the loss of the victims: mother-of-two Aysha Frade, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, Mr Cochran and PC Keith Palmer, who was stabbed to death on the cobbles outside the Palace of Westminster by Masood.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Royals attend the Westminster attack memorial

The Royals spoke to the families of those killed in the attack, as well as survivors and first responders, many from the Metropolitan Police.

More on London

Prince William read the story of the Good Samaritan, and laid a wreath of spring flowers, including red and white roses and gerbera, at the Innocent Victims memorial outside the abbey.

A card on the wreath read: "In memory of the innocent lives; lost to us all on the 22nd March, 2017."

::

Amber Rudd joins those going to the service
Image: Amber Rudd gave a reading at the service

Home Secretary Amber Rudd also gave a reading, and sat alongside the incoming Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Also attending were Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and House of Commons Speaker John Bercow.

Absent from the service was Policing Minister Brandon Lewis, who had been invited, and whose private office said he had been on annual leave.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Survivors and Royals attend attack memorial

However, a Home Office spokesman later clarified that Mr Lewis was not on annual leave, or holiday, but confirmed he had not been at the service, saying the Home Secretary had been there to represent the department.

The Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev John Hall, who led the service, told the congregation: "What happened a fortnight ago leaves us bewildered.

The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster receives Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry
Image: The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster, receives Prince William, Kate and Prince Harry

"What could possibly motivate a man to hire a car and take it from Birmingham to Brighton to London, and then drive it fast at people he had never met, couldn't possibly know, against whom he had no personal grudge, no reason to hate them and then run at the gates of the Palace of Westminster to cause another death?

"It seems likely that we shall never know.

"No doubt it was in imitation of the attacks in Nice and Berlin. But what on earth did he hope to achieve? Such random acts of aggression are nothing new."

But he said that despite the "random killing and hatred shown two weeks ago" there was much to offer hope.

  1. The Duchess of Cambridge pays her respects to those who died in the Westminster attack
    Image: The Duchess of Cambridge was among those to attend a Service of Hope at Westminster Abbey following the attack that killed four people last month
  2. First responders from the Metropolitan police attend a service in memory of those affected by the Westminster attack
    Image: First responders from the Metropolitan Police also attended the multifaith service in memory of those affected by the Westminster terror attack
  3. Amber Rudd joins those going to the service
    Image: Home Secretary Amber Rudd
  4. Jeremy Corbyn arrives to join the congregation for the service
    Image: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
  5. The Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow
    Image: The Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow
  6. Melissa Cochran, the wife of victim Kurt Cochran, arrives at the service
    Image: Melissa Cochran, the wife of victim Kurt Cochran
  7. Police officers attend a service to remember their fallen colleague PC Keith Palmer
    Image: Colleagues of PC Keith Palmer
  8. Met Police Acting Commissioner Craig Mackey and incoming commissioner Cressida Dick
    Image: Met Police Acting Commissioner Craig Mackey and incoming commissioner Cressida Dick
  9. The parents of Melissa Cochran attend a service at Westminster Abbey
    Image: The parents of Melissa Cochran
  10. Sadiq Khan attends a memorial service to those affected by the Westminster attack
    Image: London Mayor Sadiq Khan
  11. The Duchess of Cambridge
    Image: The Duchess of Cambridge
  12. The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster receives Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry
    Image: The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster receives Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry
  13. Prince William (left), the Duchess of Cambridge (centre) and Prince Harry (right)
    Image: Prince William (left), the Duchess of Cambridge (centre) and Prince Harry (right)
  14. Prince William lays a wreath as Kate and Harry stand nearby
    Image: Prince William lays a wreath
  15. A message on a wreath left by Prince William
    Image: A message on a wreath left by Prince William

In the wake of the attacks, he said, Londoners and leaders of all faiths have joined together to condemn the violence.

As everyone in the congregation lit a candle, representatives from different faiths read prayers, including Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger and Mr Khan.

Among the congregation was Red Cross senior emergency response officer Alex Hurrell, who helped hundreds of survivors taken to the abbey for refuge after the attack.

He said: "The service was a very good and thoughtful way of remembering what happened and the people that have been most directly affected by it."

Parliamentary staff caught up in the horrors of the day also attended the service.

Sadiq Khan attends a memorial service to those affected by the Westminster attack
Image: Sadiq Khan was also among those paying tribute

Perhaps most striking were the scores of police officers from all over the country who had come to the abbey as a mark of respect for PC Palmer, who died in the line of duty.

His funeral will be held on Monday, when thousands more officers will line the streets.