The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend the official opening of Manchester Arena bombing memorial ahead of the fifth anniversary of the terror attack. William and Kate will join bereaved families at a private ceremony on May 10, the council has confirmed.
Suicide bomber Salman Abedi killed himself and 22 others when he detonated a device in his backpack as concert-goers were leaving an Ariana Grande gig at Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017. A thousand others were injured, some of them seriously.
Families of those who lost loved ones in the attack will join the Duke and Duchess, and other civic dignitaries, at what is described as an 'intimate private ceremony' a few days before the anniversary.
The Duke will speak during the short ceremony before he and the duchess are taken on a walk around the Glade of Light memorial. Kate will lay flowers along with Manchester Council leader Coun Bev Craig.
The royal couple will meet privately with families inside nearby Manchester Cathedral after the opening event. The Duke of Cambridge previously attended the national service of commemoration at the cathedral in May 2018, marking the first anniversary of the Islamic State-inspired terror attack.
The Glade of Light is a garden memorial created as a space for reflection and remembrance. Its centrepiece is a white marble halo bearing the names of the 22 people who lost their lives.
Families of those who lost loved ones have been able to place personalised memory capsules, containing mementos and messages, inside the halo.
Conceived by designers BCA Landscape and Smiling Wolf as a living memorial, the Glade of Light features plants which grow naturally in the UK countryside and have been selected to provide year-round colour and echo the changing seasons.
Around the anniversary of the bombing every year - May 22 - the white flowers of a hawthorn tree planted at its centre will bloom.
An outer circle path, including seating, has been included to enable people to linger in the garden for longer while preserving the intimacy of the halo area.
In February a vandal caused damage worth £10,000 to the memorial. Anwar Hosseni, 24, of Salford, has pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the 'Glade of Light' memorial in Manchester city centre on February 9. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Announcing the royal visit, Joanne Roney, chief executive of Manchester City Council, said: "We are honoured to be joined by their Royal Highnesses for the official opening of the Glade of Light. As we approach the fifth anniversary of the 22 May 2017 attack, the Glade of Light is a potent symbol of how Manchester will continue to hold those who lost their lives, and everyone who was affected by those terrible events, in our hearts. We will never forget them."
Council Leader Coun Bev Craig said: "The Glade of Light memorial is a permanent fixture in the heart of our city. While we remember those affected every single day, as we approach the fifth anniversary it will be particularly poignant as we come together to mark its official opening."
Manchester will also commemorate the fifth anniversary proper - officials say details will be made public soon. Prior to the royal visit, the central halo of the memorial is to be cordoned off for cleaning and maintenance. It will be open to the public throughout May 22 for people to visit.
