Prince William Says He and Kate Are ‘Extremely Concerned’ About Rise in Antisemitism During Synagogue Visit

Prince William is stepping up and stepping up his efforts to help communities heal.

The Prince of Wales, 41, visited the synagogue on Thursday in the second of two trips to recognize the rise of anti-Semitism and human suffering in the Middle East.

The royal appeared at the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London, where he joined a conversation with the Holocaust Educational Trust’s young ambassadors who work in the community as advocates against hate and anti-Semitism.

“Anti-Semitism has no place in our society…Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism,” William said during a visit originally planned to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day but postponed due to Kate Middleton’s abdominal surgery. She was returned as soon as possible, according to palace aides.

Prince William with Holocaust survivor Renee Salt, 94.

TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Prince William withdraws from memorial service for best man due to personal reasons, palace says

It was also Prince William’s first public appearance since he abruptly pulled out of a memorial service for his late godfather, King Constantine of Greece, on Tuesday due to an unspecified personal matter, a palace source said at the time. (Amid the last-minute change of plans, which was to see Prince William read at the service, the palace noted that the Princess of Wales, 42, was “doing well” amid recovery from surgery last month.)

The service was also on the same day the royal family revealed the “shock” death of Lady Gabrielle’s husband, Thomas Kingston, aged just 45.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to receive the latest news on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Prince William’s engagement at the synagogue came a week after he visited British Red Cross headquarters in London to see and hear about some of the relief efforts taking place on the ground in Gaza.

He is also due to take part in further outings this week and is expected to be in Wales for St David’s Day on March 1.

Prince William at the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London.

TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Shortly after arriving at the synagogue on Thursday morning, the prince was shown around and told about the Jewish community he supports. Prince William also met Holocaust survivors Manfred Goldberg and Renee Salt who told him about their experiences, and heard how the Holocaust Educational Trust runs programs to fight hate and foster community cohesion.

William and Kate previously met Goldberg during their visit to the Stutthof concentration camp in 2017, and the princess also spoke with him in 2021 as part of a Zoom call to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Key to the work of the Holocaust Educational Trust is reaching out to young ambassadors from all backgrounds, who are part of HET’s flagship project “Lessons from Auschwitz”. They learn the history of the Holocaust and visit the site of the former Nazi concentration camp and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. It aims to help them with the tools to call out antisemitism and hatred wherever they are, and they are committed to sharing what they’ve learned with their communities across the UK

Prince William meets Holocaust survivor Renee Salt, 94.

TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Kate Middleton is ‘doing well’ amid recovery after Prince William pulled out of royal trip at last minute

Prince William and Princess Kate were “deeply concerned by the events that took place in late 2023 and continue to hold all the victims, their families and friends in their hearts and minds,” the palace said last week.

Just before visiting British Red Cross headquarters on February 20, William issued a scathing statement saying: “I remain deeply concerned about the horrific human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7. Too many killed.”

Prince William at the British Red Cross on February 20.

Kin Cheung – WPA gathering/Getty Images

“I, like many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza. It is crucial that aid arrives and the hostages are freed,” he added. “Sometimes it is only when we are confronted with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of lasting peace becomes clear.”

Prince William concluded: “Even in our darkest moment we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I still cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found and I refuse to give up on it.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education