Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Leicester City to pay tribute to owner

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit the home of Leicester City to pay their respects to the five people who died in a helicopter crash, including the football club’s owner.

William and Kate knew owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and are visiting the city to recognise the compassion the people of Leicester and the club’s fans have shown since the accident.

The four victims killed alongside the businessman were employees Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner, Izabela Roza Lechowicz, who was also a professional pilot.

The five people were killed on October 27 when the helicopter crashed outside Leicester City’s King Power Stadium soon after taking off.

In the aftermath of the crash, William paid tribute to the “big contribution to football” made by the owner of Leicester City.

William, president of the Football Association and a keen football fan, said he was lucky to have known the billionaire duty-free entrepreneur for several years.

He said at the time: “He made such a big contribution to football, not least through Leicester City’s magical 2016 season that captured the imagination of the world.”

The duke and duchess will begin the day by visiting the tribute site near the stadium to pay their respects to those killed in the accident, before meeting with a group of players and members of the club’s management team.

The couple will also meet volunteers and club supporters who helped to relocate the thousands of tributes, which were left outside the front of the stadium, to their present site.

Afterwards, the Cambridges will visit King Power Stadium where they will meet representatives from local charities who were supported by the club’s owner.

Later, the couple will visit the University of Leicester to hear about some of the educational programmes Leicester City has helped to support.