UK royals to attend Grenfell fire memorial

Members of the British Royal Family will join the families of victims of the Grenfell Tower fire on Thursday for a memorial at St Paul's Cathedral here.

About 1,500 people have been invited to the multi-faith service, including the bereaved, survivors and rescue workers, reports the BBC.

Joining them will be the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry along with Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The service will remember 71 people who died in the June 14 tragedy.

It will also give thanks to everyone who assisted on the ground at the time of the tragedy and since - including the emergency services, the recovery team, the community, public support workers and volunteers.

The final death toll from the fire was put at 53 adults and 18 children, including stillborn baby Logan Gomes, following an arduous process of recovering and identifying remains from the block.

A banner with the Grenfell Heart will be displayed, while there will be performances from the Ebony Steel Band, Portobello Road Salvation Army Band, an Islamic girls' choir from the Al Sadiq and Al Zahra Schools and St Paul's Cathedral Choir.

Clarrie Mendy, whose cousin Mary Mendy and her daughter Khadija Saye died in the fire, is one of those who helped organise the memorial event.

"I just hope this service resonates with people, with the hunger people have spiritually," she told the BBC.

--IANS

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