The King has said he is “greatly saddened” by a fire at a Swiss ski resort which killed around 40 people at a new year party.
Charles said it was “utterly heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families instead turned to such nightmarish tragedy”.
About 115 people were injured, most of them seriously, at a bar in the Alpine resort of Crans-Montana less than two hours after midnight on Thursday.
Authorities did not immediately have an exact count of the dead.
Crans-Montana is best known as an international ski and golf venue, and overnight its crowded Le Constellation bar morphed from a scene of revelry into the site of potentially one of Switzerland’s worst tragedies.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, the King said: “My wife and I were appalled, and greatly saddened, to learn of the devastating fire last night in Crans-Montana, in Switzerland.
“It is utterly heartbreaking that a night of celebration for young people and families instead turned to such nightmarish tragedy.
“While offering our admiration for the heroic first responders and the selfless emergency services, we wanted, above all, to convey our deepest possible sympathy to all those who have been so dreadfully affected by this horrific disaster.
“Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of all those who have so tragically lost their lives and with those who remain in a critical condition in hospital.”
