The Queen is applauded as she meets Grenfell Tower survivors and brave firefighters at relief centre – and Prince William shouts ‘I’ll come back’ as they leave to more cheering

THE Queen’s face portrayed the pain of the nation yesterday as she visited dazed and distraught survivors beneath the remains of Grenfell Tower.

Shocked and close to tears, it was clearly one of the most harrowing assignments of her 65-year reign.

Her Majesty’s lips pursed as she took in the trauma of residents like 17-year-old Rhianna Levi, still ­shaking from the horror of seeing a neighbour screaming at his window.

For those like Rhianna, the ­surprise visit was a comfort amid the flashbacks and the desolation of losing family, friends and their homes.

Rhianna, also fighting tears, told me: “The Queen just looked like she had so much compassion when she was listening to me.

“We could talk to her. No one was being blocked off by police.

“The Queen showed she cared.”

Her Majesty and grandson Prince William were met with spontaneous applause as they arrived at 11am on a surprise visit to Westway Sports Centre, which has been turned into an aid centre for survivors of the nearby inferno.

A clearly emotional William called the tragedy “one of the most terrible things I have ever seen”.

He and the Queen spent 40 minutes meeting the destitute and bereaved, as well as the heroic emergency crews.

The pair then poignantly signed a book of condolence beside a wall covered in posters of the missing.
For one man, it was all too much.

As the royals headed back to their black Range Rover, Rami Mohamed, 47 — with a missing poster of siblings Firdaws and Yahya pinned to his chest — cried out: “What about the children?

“Queen? Queen? What about the children?”

Prince William raised his arm to placate Rami — a friend of the children’s family.

The Prince told him: “We’ll come back, we’ll come back. Don’t worry, we’ll come back”.

Teenager Rhianna, who works at a Bose headphones store, met the Queen as she went to the centre with her family to register for ­temporary accommodation.

She was evacuated from the flat she shared with mum Marcia, ­siblings Joshua and Naomi and nephew Xavier, which was ­connected to Grenfell Tower.

Reliving the horror of her trapped neighbour, she said: “The whole area was so silent.

“There were no alarms, no sirens, you could literally hear him ­shouting help.

“Everyone was crying telling him to jump and get out any way he could.

“Soon his window was burnt through. I don’t know what ­happened to him.”

The Queen’s visit brought them joy amid the tears.

Rhianna said: “We were registering and someone said, ‘Move out the way, there are VIPs arriving’.
“As I turned my head, I saw the Queen. I got pushed to the front and then I’m talking to her.
“It was like, ‘Oh my gosh’. I was shaking.

“The Queen then asked me if was a resident.

“I said, ‘Yeah, our flats are ­connected to the Grenfell building. We woke up to flames and were evacuated at 1am. It was like the movies, it was terrifying’.

“The Queen said, ‘It’s terrifying and devastating for people to be in this’.

“She then went inside but those few words were enough to know that she is there for us.”

Rhianna’s mum Marcia, 53 — who works with children with special needs — added: “The Queen looked at me. There was compassion, it was ­caring and sincere.

“The fact she took time out to see us means a lot.

“She didn’t have to. It speaks ­volumes how she feels about the situation.”

The royals were led past table tennis tables laden with donated food and drink, to meet first responders and volunteers

Vassiliki Stavrou-Loraine, who lives in the shadow of the tower, also met the Queen.

The Citizens Advice Bureau ­volunteer said: “I told the Queen that it was terrifying when you heard the children screaming.

They were shouting, ‘Help. help help’, and there was nothing we could do.

“But it was when it went quiet, when you stopped hearing their voices. That was the most terrifying point.”

Vassiliki, 65, continued: “The Queen said it must have been ­terrible when the lights went out on the staircase so people could no longer see.

“She said there was also the smoke and fumes.

“I said that was the building’s only fire exit but then there were flames there too.

“Nobody could get out. She was shaking her head in disbelief. I think she’s a wonderful person, to take such a personal interest in people’s lives.

“I can’t say I’m amazed. I know she is a person who wants to do what she can, whatever class you come from.

“This is something out of the ordinary that’s touched everybody’s heart. It has really touched people’s lives.

“We’re talking about people not just dying but turning into dust and ashes.

“There have been politicians here and there has been criticism. I’m delighted that the Queen came because it gives us hope that things will be properly dealt with.”

The Queen’s genuine compassion correctly gauged the devastated mood of the nation, in contrast to mistakes made in the past.

When Princess Diana died in 1997, the Royal Family faced headlines of “Show us you care”.

And the Queen was criticised for not visiting the site of the Aberfan disaster quickly enough in 1966.

Prime Minister Theresa May — who visited the area yesterday — was accused of failing to show “humanity” when she came to the tower on Thursday.

Mrs May stayed for just 15 ­minutes and did not talk to residents, prompting anger.

Rhianna said: “We saw on TV that Theresa May had a private meeting, and didn’t talk to any ­residents.
“All we want to know is that our Government behind us.

“And now the Queen has ­definitely done that.”

Prince William’s emotion was also evident as he met volunteers.

He said to one: “Things like that you never want to see.”

And he told another: “That’s one of the most terrible things I have ever seen.”

Resident Loubna Aghzafi, 42, told the Prince that many people she had spoken to were unable to share their experiences.

William, who has championed mental health causes this year, replied: “They may want to eventually. They must talk about it.”

Loubna, who has been helping translate for Moroccan families caught up in the fire, said: “I said to him, ‘I was thinking about you yesterday when a woman told me her children are very traumatised’.

“I said, ‘I need to get them some support’.

“He gave me the name of a ­contact of one of the charities so I need to contact them and get them to come down.

“He said, ‘Please make sure to tell people they need to talk about it’.” The Queen told Penny Appeal charity worker Taksima Ferdous, 31, from East London: “You have been incredible, please keep continuing.”

Emerging to more cheers, the royal pair greeted men and women from the London Fire Brigade, ­Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service.

Rami, the distraught man who prompted Prince William’s pledge to return, was pleased with the visit.
He told me: “The Queen was right to come and see what’s going on.

“Prince William said he would come back. I’d like to meet him and talk to him.”

Yesterday the Queen paid tribute to the ''bravery'' of firefighters who battled the fire and praised the ''incredible generosity'' of volunteers offering their support.

Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who all live locally, made donations to a fund raising money for the victims of the blaze.

In a statement from Buckingham Palace, The Queen said: “My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost loved ones in the Grenfell Tower fire and the many people who are still critically ill in hospital.

“Prince Philip and I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of firefighters and other emergency services officers who put their own lives at risk to save others.

“It is also heartening to see the incredible generosity of community volunteers rallying to help those affected by this terrible event.”

What we know so far:

• At least 30 people have been confirmed dead but the death toll is feared to be more than 100 - with many people still missing
• The first victims have been named as Syrian refugee Mohammed Al Haj Ali, 23, and 24-year-old Khadija Saye
• The Prime Minister has promised a full public inquiry into the disaster and police have launched a criminal investigation
• The blaze on Wednesday night is thought to have been sparked by a faulty fridge but police don't believe the fire was started deliberately
• Experts warned the fire was spread by cladding panels which are fitted to countless buildings across Britain
• Residents were seen jumping from upper floors in scenes reminiscent of September 11 and horrified witnesses told of babies being thrown from windows by desperate mothers
• It was revealed the block had only recently undergone a £10million refurb and still had no sprinkler system installed - but designers insisted the refurbishment work complied with building regulations
• Residents raised safety concerns four years ago, but were ignored
• Celebrities and ordinary Londoners have united to provide food, clothes, money and shelter for survivors

The Metropolitan Police have so far confirmed the deaths of 30 people after the massive fire, which engulfed the west London tower block from just before 1am on Wednesday.

Several hundred people were thought to be inside the block’s 120 homes when the fire began – with many people, including children, still unaccounted for.

Police have said they expect the death toll to rise, with London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton saying it would be a miracle to find anyone alive in the tower

She added it is too early in the investigation for her speculate on the cause of the fire – but witness reports have suggested it may have been started by a faulty fridge on the fourth floor.