Prince William condemns antisemitism during visit to London synagogue
Prince William has condemned antisemitism during a visit to a London synagogue, the first time he appeared in public after he unexpectedly pulled out of a royal event earlier in the week
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Prince William condemned antisemitism during a visit to a London synagogue on Thursday, the first time he appeared in public after he unexpectedly pulled out of a royal event earlier in the week.
William, the heir to the throne, heard about how Jewish students across the U.K. have been affected by the rise of hatred against the Jewish community during his visit to the Western Marble Arch Synagogue. He also spent time with Renee Salt, a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor.
The royal said he and his wife, Kate, the Princess of Wales, are extremely concerned about the rise in antisemitism. “I’m here today to reassure you all that people do care, people do listen and we can’t let that keep going,” he said.
William spoke out last week against the fighting in Gaza and called for the Israel-Hamas conflict to end “as soon as possible.”
While his statement stopped short of calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, he spoke of the “terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack” and urged for more humanitarian support to Gaza.
Reports of both antisemitic and anti-Muslim abuse in Britain have soared since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which triggered Israel’s invasion of Gaza.
William's absence Tuesday from a memorial service for his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece, drew significant media attention because it came at a time when William's father, King Charles III, and his wife are both suffering from health problems.
Palace officials only said that William pulled out of the service at Windsor because of a “personal matter.” They declined to elaborate but said his wife, who is recovering from abdominal surgery she underwent in January, continues to do well.
Charles, who is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, has canceled all his public engagements.