The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have made an undisclosed donation to an emergency appeal, helping those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire in north Kensington.
William, Kate and Harry sent the donation to the Evening Standard’s Dispossessed Fund and urged others to follow suit.
In a statement issued to the newspaper, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: “The tragedy at Grenfell Tower has left a number of local people in need of urgent assistance.”
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are pleased the Evening Standard’s Dispossessed Fund has immediately swung into action. As residents of the local area they are keen to offer their immediate support.”
Since launching the fund, the online emergency appeal has raised in excess of £700,000 (approximately $AUD 1,181,670.00) with all proceeds headed towards those affected by the tragedy.
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Wills, Kate and Harry were “keen to offer their immediate support.”
The young royals have also urged others to support the cause.
The news came as the Queen paid tribute to victims of the fire, a monster blaze which consumed the 27-storey high apartment tower block.
In a statement from Buckingham Palace she said: “My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost loved ones in the Grenfell Tower fire and the many people who are still critically ill in hospital.”
The 91-year-old monarch, who also spoke on behalf of husband Prince Philip, went on to praise the tireless efforts of all those who worked to save trapped residents and aid those affected by the inferno.
“Prince Philip and I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of firefighters and other emergency services officers who put their own lives at risk to save others,” she said. “It is also heartening to see the incredible generosity of community volunteers rallying to help those affected by this terrible event.”
The Queen praised firefighters and emergency services who helped to combat the fire and free trapped residents.
Police have confirmed at least 17 people died in an “unprecedented” inferno in Notting Hill. The number of fatalities is expected to rise significantly, with claims the true number could sit at more than 100.
While fire chiefs said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the inferno, a survivor told a live news program that his neighbour’s “fridge had exploded” shortly before fire engulfed the building.
It has also emerged the building may have been fitted with flammable cladding during a recent renovation.
According to planning documents, the cladding was chosen in part so that the building would appear as more aesthetically pleasing when seen from the conservation areas and luxury apartments that surround north Kensington.
Specialist teams and search dogs are now working to make the burnt-out building safe to allow firefighters and police to carry out their investigations.
