King Charles hopes focus will be on his Manchester synagogue visit and not Prince Andrew

King Charles expressed his sadness to survivors of the Manchester synagogue attack this afternoon as he sought to pay his respects to the Jewish community following the "heinous" crime". Earlier this month, two Jewish people were killed and three left in a serious condition after a car ramming and stabbing attack outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said that the King hopes that "the focus will be on the community impacted by this heinous crime rather than any other matters," as his brother Prince Andrew continues to dominate the news agenda.

Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed when Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, first drove a car into a security guard and stabbed a congregent before attempting to force entry into the synagogue on October 2. Members of the community barricaded the entrance, and Mr Daulby died after being struck by police gunfire while helping to prevent the attacker from entering.

Police believe the attacker, a British citizen of Syrian descent, "may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology" but it may be some time before the full circumstances are established.

On Monday afternoon, the King met the "hero" survivors of the attack, the victims families and people who witnessed the horror unfold that morning.

He told them: "I can't tell you how sad I am" as he spent more than 40 minutes speaking to them inside the Prayer Hall.

It marks the King's first appearance since Prince Andrew's decision to relinquish his titles and honours in a bid to draw a line under the numerous scandals engulfing him.

Charles, 76, arrived at the synagogue to light drizzle shortly before 1pm and appeared visibly moved as he viewed the floral tributes and messages left outside the synagogue's gates with Rabbi Walker.

They then headed inside, where His Majesty was greeted by the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis and senior representatives of the synagogue who stood in front of a shrine to the two victims. The chief Rabbi told His Majesty, "We're in the presence of heroes, every single person, they're all special."

Dozens of sympathy cards, a candle and a beautiful bouquet of flowers were positioned in the hallway, in front of the doors that the attacker attempted to force his way through.

Alan Levy, who was one of a dozen people who helped to barricade the synagogue, told the King: "Thank you so much for your support, we so much appreciate it."

Mr Levy, who is a Chair of the Trustees of Heaton Park, has previously said the "monster" attacker tried to charge down the doors with knives and plant pots. When chatting to the King, he gesticulated to the entryway where the monarch had just walked in, and said, "It was these doors right here".

Speaking afterwards, he said that the King's visit today "means everything". "For the king to come and show his support to our community here and also the wider Jewish community was just amazing," Mr Levy said. "And he was so nice, so humble." He added that the visit had "certainly uplifted our community".

The King then held a private meeting with an individual who was involved in the attack.

Having put on a kippah, a cap worn by men as a sign of respect to God, His Majesty was led into the Prayer Hall where the Chief Rabbi gave a short blessing. Dozens of members of the congregation had gathered inside, including some of the victim's families and those injured in the attack.

He was first introduced to relatives of one of the two men who died and told them, "You have my deepest sympathy." The King then spent time talking to Yoni Finlay, 39, who was shot while attempting to barricade the doors, and his parents.

They spoke about his injuries, with the King asking: "You're not in too much pain now?" as he warmly patted his arm.

Turning to speak to three other people who saw the incident unfold, he told them: "It's a terrible thing to have come out of the blue."

Charles asked the families if they were getting much support from the authorities, and he was told the police were helping them and the community were bringing food and popping round to see how they were coping.

The King spent a further 20 minutes inside the prayer hall, where he met others who were present, including a security guard named only as Bernard, who was also injured in the attack. He remains in hospital but was discharged temporarily to meet the king today, attending in a wheelchair and dressed in his hospital gown.

Before leaving, the King was presented with a framed print of the memorial event the synagogue held for his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022. Mr Levy said "he was extremely touched by that".

The King had his own gift to give, a bottle of whisky. This is a traditional gesture, as after the morning Shabbat, a Kiddish is often held to continue the celebration, where whisky and wine are drunk.

Charles left the synagogue to loud cheers and applause from the hundreds of people who had gathered along the main road and undertook a short walkabout.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Finlay, who was discharged from hospital last week, said: "The fact is the King came and showed his support, showed his care, and he took a lot of time as well. He wasn't rushed, he spoke to everybody and really, really took his time. It was a special day."

Asked how he found being back at the scene of the attack, he said: "It's easier than I thought. It's difficult because obviously I know I'm lucky, we didn't all make it."

He added: "I'm doing well, I have had so much support and love and care. Three weeks ago I saw the worst of humanity but since then I've seen absolutely the best and there's a lot of good people out there."

The King later spoke of the need to "deradicalise" people from what they see on the "ghastliness of social media" as he met the emergency services who attended the Manchester synagogue terror attack.

The King joined police officers, fire officers and ambulance staff at the Greater Manchester Police headquarters, to thank them for their response to the October 2 stabbings and hear about their work. "Thank God we've got you," he told them. "I'm very grateful to you."

Speaking to faith leaders about the need to find commonality between religions, he said he hoped to do more convene community leaders. "The terrible thing is [it's] so much the thing of the ghastliness of social media. It's very hard," he said, adding that we must "deradicalise people".

The King has previously hosted seminars bringing faith leaders together, behind closed doors in venues including Windsor Castle, to discuss how to find common ground and bring their communities together.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said of the visit: "This is the King continuing with duty and service in his longstanding mission to bring communities together particularly in times of challenge. And hopes very much that the focus will be on the community impacted by this heinous crime rather than any other matters."