Prince William is paying his respects in Wales.
The heir to the throne joined his father King Charles and Queen Camilla for a visit to the village of Aberfan, 60 years after 144 people, the majority of them children, were killed. Their lives were lost when a coal mine tip collapsed, sending a landslide of sludge down a hillside that wiped out everything in its path.
The fast-moving waste flattened cottages, houses and Pantglas Junior School, where more than 100 students were killed by the sludge and falling debris. Rescuers used shovels and their bare hands to try and free children, teachers and locals trapped under the rubble.
While Prince Philip visited the site the day after the tragedy, it was eight days before then-monarch Queen Elizabeth
visited the stricken village, a decision that became one of the most widely criticized of her 70-year reign.
On Oct. 21, the royals met with members of the community including survivors and bereaved parents, as they paid tribute to the lives lost in 1966. The visit honored "the enduring strength" of the people of Aberfan, the royal family said in an Instagram post.
The royal visit to Wales came the day after the red carpet was rolled out in Windsor, where the Sultan of Oman was welcomed to Britain with a lavish state banquet.
Why Queen Elizabeth was criticized amid Aberfan tragedy
While the queen issued an immediate statement of condolence from London, it took her more than a week to visit the site of the disaster in south Wales, much to the anger of members of the public and scrutiny from the British tabloids, who questioned why the monarch had not made an appearance.
When she arrived in the stricken village eight days later, the queen was moved to tears, a rare display of emotion for a monarch known for her composure.
The Daily Mail, citing royal insiders, said the monarch was advised to keep away and wait for the shock and emotion to subside, though she later expressed regret for not vising the site of the disaster sooner. Other reports claim that government advisors believed a visit from the monarch would distract from the rescue operations.
After an official inquiry, the National Coal Board was deemed responsible for the fatal collapse. No one has ever been prosecuted.
Despite the widespread criticism regarding her response, the queen returned to the village several times, in what was perceived by some as a conscious effort to repair her relationship with locals following her misjudgment.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prince William visits site of mining disaster that forever altered the Queen's reign
