Prince Charles hails ‘remarkable’ man who helped stop Nice attack terrorist
Video report by ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship
The Prince of Wales has hailed a man who helped to stop the terrorist in the Nice attack as “courageous” and “remarkable”.
Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived in the south of France on Monday as part of their five-day tour of France and Greece, and paid their respects to the 86 victims of the attack at a memorial in the city.
The couple stood in silence at the Villa Massena as they looked at the memorial, which reads En Memoire De Nos Anges – In Memory Of Our Angels.
The prince laid a bouquet of flowers at the memorial to commemorate those who lost their lives in July 2016.
After laying the flowers, Charles and Camilla spoke to the families of some of the victims and other members of the public, with one woman shouting: “It’s an honour, it’s an honour”.
The prince spoke to airport worker Franck Terrier, a man who was called a hero for trying to stop the attacker, and he described the royal visit as “very humbling”.
Mr Terrier said he told the prince: “I slid off my scooter and ran and climbed up to the side of the driver’s cab. The window was open and I hit him.
“He hit me over the head and I fell back down to the road. But I climbed up again and hit him again.”
The 51-year-old said he had been on his way to Nice’s old town and did not think of his safety when he tried to help police when the truck stopped.
He added: “The prince said it was an honour to shake my hands and so did the duchess.”
Anne Murris, whose daughter Camille Murris, 27, was killed in the Bastille Day attack, said she showed a collage of her to the prince.
She said she collected 86 stones from the beach in Nice and painted each one with the name of one of the victims.
Ms Murris said: “It’s an honour to have this visit. It’s very important because these stones represent the dead, they represent our loved ones and our city and its past.
“But the stone also represents a hope for the future, for our tomorrow. We hope to live in peace.”
Accepting the stone as a gift, Charles said: “I hardly think I merit it.”
Before commemorating the victims of the attack, the prince, dressed in a light grey suit, and Camilla, wearing a blue dress, posed for photos in front of a Von Angeli painting of Queen Victoria – the prince’s great-great-great-grandmother.
The former queen had frequently visited the city and the couple’s visit will celebrate the longstanding connection between Nice and the UK.
The couple had been greeted at the villa by Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, and his wife Laura Tenoudji, a television journalist.
Mr Estrosi will make Charles an honorary citizen of Nice at a ceremony on Monday evening.
Charles and Camilla also headed to the Fragonard Perfumery in Eze where they made and tested various perfumes.
The couple met the renowned “nose” Celine Ellena as they discussed different scents and perfume-making techniques.
The Duchess of Cornwall was given the task of carving soap during their short visit.
After the perfumery, they walked through the historic village and saw the wide variety of cacti and succulents.