Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Prince William made their first joint public appearance on Thursday since Catherine completed chemotherapy for cancer, as announced by Kensington Palace. The couple visited Southport in northwest England to support the community recovering from a tragic knife attack in July that claimed the lives of three children.

During their visit, the royals met with members of the emergency services who responded to the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, which left eight children and two adults wounded. Both aged 42, Catherine and William listened to the responders’ experiences and the impact on their mental health, as stated by their office.

In addition to meeting emergency responders, the couple engaged with mental health practitioners who have been assisting the responders since the attack. Catherine expressed gratitude to the emergency workers on behalf of the victims’ families, saying, “how grateful they all are for the support you provided on the day. On behalf of them, thank you,” as reported by Britain’s Press Association (PA).

It was reported that Catherine offered hugs to some emotional attendees away from the cameras, while William praised the responders, urging them to take care of themselves. “You’re all heroes. Please make sure you look after yourselves, please take your time, don’t rush back to work,” he said.

Kensington Palace emphasized William’s commitment to ensuring long-term mental health support for emergency responders, noting his firsthand experience as a pilot for a civilian air ambulance service and in the military.

Catherine announced on September 9 that she had completed chemotherapy and was working towards being cancer-free. In a heartfelt video message, she shared her journey towards “full recovery” following her diagnosis, which had kept her out of the public eye for months.

A week after her announcement, Catherine took steps towards returning to her work on early-years child development, meeting with staff from the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which she established. This engagement was seen as a positive sign of her progress in her cancer battle and her gradual return to public duties.

Her health challenges coincided with her father-in-law King Charles III, who also underwent treatment for cancer earlier this year. The 75-year-old monarch resumed public duties in April. Neither royal has disclosed the specific type of cancer they had.

Footage from Thursday’s engagement showed Catherine, dressed in a long brown coat, arriving at a Southport community center after meeting privately with the victims’ families and an injured dance teacher. The couple spent about half an hour with each family group and arrived 45 minutes late at the center, with William apologizing to the waiting guests.

The events in Southport led to unrest and riots in various English towns and cities, fueled by misinformation about the attacker’s identity. Axel Rudakubana, 17 at the time, has been charged with murder and attempted murder for the stabbing spree and is due in court this month for a hearing.