In a personally signed message shared on the royal family’s X account, the British monarch said he and Queen Camilla were “heartbroken” by the disaster and expressed sympathy for those who lost loved ones and families still awaiting news of missing relatives.
Charles noted that many people in the United Kingdom have “strong, deep and personal ties” to the affected region and also paid tribute to police and armed forces personnel who died while responding to the disaster.
“We send our most profound sympathy to all those who have so tragically lost their loved ones and we feel deeply for the many families awaiting anxiously the news of friends and relations,” he wrote.
“Our hearts go out also to the families of all the police and armed forces personnel who lost their lives while carrying out their courageous duty in the service of others,” he added.
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Earlier, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain would “be there for Nepal in its hour of need right now” as his government announced the £5 million aid package and offered to deploy emergency responders.
“It’s a devastating picture that is emerging from what has happened in Nepal,” he told reporters, adding that the funding would support the disaster response.
Nepal’s Tourism Board said 33 British nationals were among 517 foreign nationals reported missing following the disaster.
The UK government has not confirmed the figure, saying only that “a number” of British nationals are believed to be missing.
Britain has longstanding ties with Nepal, notably through the Gurkha Brigade, whose soldiers are recruited in Nepal and serve in the British Army.
The Gurkha Brigade’s association paid tribute on social media to “the work of our brothers and sisters in the Nepal Army and emergency services” responding to the disaster.
“As the scale of the tragedy in Nepal becomes apparent today, all of the Gurkha family stand united in support of the people affected,” it said.
The Strait Times
