Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, traveled to Uvalde, Texas, to pay tribute to victims of the elementary school massacre.
Markle on Thursday was seen laying a bouquet of white roses at a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse, close to Robb Elementary School where the mass shooting occurred.
She bowed her head as she placed the flowers by a cross for eight-year-old Uziyah Garcia, the youngest victim of the mass shooting, according to the Daily Mail. She also walked around and looked at white crosses with the names of the other victims.
Markle, who wore jeans, a simple T-shirt, a baseball cap, Princess Diana’s $23,000 Cartier Tank Watch and a $6,900 Cartier Love Bracelet, did not speak to the media.
Her unannounced visit came two days after gunman Salvador Ramos, 18, opened fire and killed 19 children and two teachers, before being fatally shot by police.
Markle, who lives in California, visited Texas as her father Thomas Markle, 77, recovers from a stroke he suffered earlier this week. She has reportedly had no contact with her father, who has been estranged since 2018 when she married Prince Harry.
Thomas is recuperating in Chula Vista, which is a few hours’ drive from her California home.
It was not immediately clear whether Prince Harry, who was not spotted at the memorial, traveled with his wife to Texas.
Markle was accompanied by Alberto Alvarez, the head of her security team. Alvarez stood a short distance from Markle as she observed the memorial.
President Joe Biden is expected to visit Uvalde, located about 80 miles west of San Antonio, in the coming days.
The Uvalde massacre is the deadliest school shooting since 20 elementary school children and six staff members were shot dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012.
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