King Charles makes first public outing after Prince Andrew stops using royal titles as palace website reveals major change
King Charles has met with survivors of a terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester including first responders and the rabbi who helped barricade the entrance of the building to protect worshippers.It was the monarch's first public appearance since Prince Andrew announced he would no longer be using his Duke of York title following the growing scrutiny over his links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.A Buckingham Palace spokesperson urged the focus to be on the King's work and not on the latest scandal involving his younger brother."This is the King continuing with duty and service in his longstanding mission to bring communities together particularly in times of challenge," the spokesperson said."And hopes very much that the focus will be on the community impacted by this heinous crime rather than any other matters."The King was at the Heaton Park synagogue on Monday where he was welcomed by Rabbi Daniel Walker, who was widely praised for his calm response during the attack on October 2.READ MORE: Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie are a no-show at major event days after father's latest scandal brokeREAD MORE: The exiled royals who were 'rebuilding the Crown Jewels' after exit from Britain READ MORE: Should royals be allowed to use their titles to earn money?Witness say Rabbi Walker helped to lead people to safety across the street where he continued the service.He was later seen with blood stains on his robes.The King also met with Alan Levy, one of several others who helped to barricade the synagogue during the attack.Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, drove a car into pedestrians before stabbing several members of the congregation.Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed and four others injured.Cravitz had been outside and was killed while trying to stop the terrorist from getting any further. Daulby, who was a security guard, suffered a fatal gunshot wound as armed police fired at al-Shamie.The attack happened on Yom Kippur, the most important Jewish holy day.King Charles wore a kippah, a traditional Jewish skullcap, to visit the synagogue. He also met with emergency services at the Greater Manchester Police headquarters, who responded to the terror incident.In a statement on the day of the attack the King and Queen Camilla called it "an appalling incident" and said they were "deeply shocked and saddened".The King, who used much of his time as Prince of Wales and now as monarch to bring people from other faiths together, will make an historic visit to the Vatican tomorrow.The monarch and Catholic Pope Leo XIV will pray together in the Sistine Chapel, marking the first time a British King and pontiff have done so publicly since the Reformation.On Wednesday King Charles and Queen Camilla will begin a state visit to the Holy See, meeting with Pope Leo for the first time.In April, the King and Queen travelled to the Vatican where they met Pope Francis just weeks before his death. They had been due to carry out a state visit to the Vatican, as part of their short tour of Italy, but it was postponed.Palace website changeThree days after Prince Andrew issued a statement announcing he would no longer use his royal titles, the official website for the British monarchy has finally been updated to reflect the change.The 65-year-old royal is still featured on the page dedicated to the members of the royal family, but he is listed last just after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.He is called 'Prince Andrew' only, with the 'Duke of York' title now removed.All the other royals on the page are referred to by their official title, alongside a photo.The titles Prince Andrew is no longer able to use are: The Duke of York, the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh; his Knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.He is still known as a 'prince' as he was born the son of a monarch.In the statement, issued by Buckingham Palace on Friday, Andrew said he had decided to stop using his titles "to put my duty to my family and country first"."In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family," he said.Prince Andrew stopped carrying out public duties in November 2019 in the wake of his BBC interview.Andrew's team 'tried to hire internet trolls' to harass accuserA posthumous memoir written by Prince Andrew's accuser Virginia Giuffre is published today.In the book titled Nobody's Girl, Giuffre claims Prince Andrew's team tried to hire "internet trolls to hassle" her.Giuffre alleged she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew on three separate occasions after she was trafficked by Epstein, the paedophile financier, including when she was 17.Prince Andrew has always strenuously denied the allegations.In 2022, the prince made a financial settlement with Giuffre said to be worth $20 million.The settlement came after Giuffre sued the prince in a civil court.In the memoir, she wrote: "Initially, the Prince made it difficult for my lawyers to serve him with papers, fleeing to Queen Elizabeth's Balmoral Castle in Scotland and hiding behind its well-guarded gates."After casting doubt on my credibility for so long – Prince Andrew's team had even gone so far as to try to hire internet trolls to hassle me – the Duke of York owed me a meaningful apology as well."We would never get a confession, of course. That's what settlements are designed to avoid. But we were trying for the next best thing: a general acknowledgement of what I'd been through. After my lawyers hashed out the basic details on Zoom, I then participated in two days of mediation talks."Finally, at 2.30am Florida time, the Prince's lawyers agreed to the statement we'd been pushing for. Siggy [Giuffre's lawyer] called me immediately and read it to me through tears, both hers and mine."Giuffre died by suicide in April, aged 41.FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.