Prince William, PM Keir Starmer mark 20th anniversary of London 7/7 attacks
The suicide bombings by British men inspired by al-Qaeda were the deadliest attack on the UK capital since WWII, killing 52 and wounding 770
Fifty-two people died and more than 770 were wounded when four British men inspired by al-Qaeda blew themselves up on three London Underground trains and a bus during the morning rush hour on July 7, 2005. They were the first suicide bombings on European soil.
Two weeks later, four other bombers attempted a similar attack but their devices failed to explode. No one was hurt.
The bombings remain seared into London’s collective memory, and the anniversary was marked with events including a ceremony at the 7/7 memorial in Hyde Park and a service of commemoration at St Paul’s Cathedral.
At 8.50am, the moment the first bomb exploded 20 years ago, Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan laid wreaths at the Hyde Park monument, a group of 52 steel columns commemorating the people who were killed.
At London Underground stations near where the explosions hit, staff and commuters paused for a minute’s silence, and spectators fell quiet ahead of the day’s play at the Wimbledon tennis tournament.