Madeleine McCann’s parents and twin siblings come together to mark the 19th anniversary of her disappearance

Madeleine McCann’s parents tonight attended a prayer vigil to mark the poignant 19th anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance and pledged: ‘The search continues to find her, deliver justice and make the world a little safer.’

Kate and Gerry, along with their twins, were warmly welcomed by supporters and well-wishers at an informal outdoor gathering in their hometown of Rothley, Leicestershire.

This is the first time the couple have been photographed in public together with Sean and Amelie, now 21.

The couple looked pained at moments as prayers were held for Maddie, who disappeared during a family holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.

While her parents had dinner with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant, she was left to sleep alone with her younger twin siblings.

Celebrity heart doctor Gerry, 57, and former GP turned healthcare worker Kate, 58, are holding on to a glimmer of hope that their daughter, now 22, almost 23, may still be alive.

Neither Kate nor Gerry (both wearing dark casual trousers, Puffa jackets and sneakers) addressed the 50-strong crowd.

But talented swimmer Sean, who hopes to represent Great Britain at the 2028 Olympics, and university student Amelie lit candles in memory of their sister at the war memorial in Cross Green.

The couple were photographed in public for the first time with Sean and Amelie, now 21, (pictured)

Maddie (pictured) disappeared during a family holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.

Kate’s uncle Brian Kennedy, a retired headteacher, read Simon Armitage’s poem The Beacon, which had previously been written for the McCanns by the current Poet Laureate.

The Rev. Rob Gladstone, vicar of Rothley Parish Church, told the crowd: ‘We gather today to pray for Madeleine and the other lost children, to encourage each other, and especially Gerry and Kate, to maintain hope and pray for the renewal of our strength even after nineteen years.’

Villager Michelle Canilleri joined supporters chanting mantras such as ‘never give up’, ‘don’t forget me’ and ‘still lost, still missing’.

He later said: ‘I really feel sorry for the family. After all these years they still have no closure and no peace. He added: ‘There’s a lot of support for them here.’

After the brief 20-minute service, Kate was seen smiling as she hugged and chatted with locals.

The family of four, all wearing matching jackets, then walked towards their nearby home.

In a new post on social media, Kate and Gerry wrote: ’19 years. The search continues to find our Madeleine, to achieve justice and to make the world a little safer. ‘

They added on the official Find Madeleine Facebook page: ‘We are so grateful for all the support we have received from friends and family, from people we know and those we don’t know, and from the police and authorities for their continued determination and efforts. Thank you.

‘We will never give up for Madeleine, whom we love and miss every day. Kate, Gerry and family.’

Amelie (pictured) was seen at the memorial event in the McCanns’ hometown of Rothley.

The family of four, all wearing matching jackets, then walked towards their nearby home.

The vigil came six months after a Polish woman was sentenced to prison for harassing the McCann family.

Julia Wandelt, who repeatedly claimed to be Madeleine, was found guilty of stalking the family but was cleared of a more serious stalking charge in November last year.

Addressing the crowd, the priest said that Kate and Gerry were tortured and “dragged through the courts” by “someone pretending to be Madeleine”.

Wandelt, 24, and his supporter Karen Spragg, 61, who was acquitted of all charges, were accused of launching a ‘harassment campaign’ against the family that lasted more than two years in Wandelt’s case.

Wandelt, from Lubin, Poland, was sentenced to six months in prison at Leicester Crown Court.

However, after serving his sentence, he was released pending deportation to his home country and has been detained since February 2025.

Kate, Gerry, Amelie and Kate’s great-aunt Janet Kennedy gave evidence to the prosecution in court, but it was hidden from the public.

The family was secretly escorted into and out of the courthouse, away from the crowded media and concerned public.

In a statement following the conviction, the McCanns said that despite the guilty verdict, they ‘took no pleasure in the outcome’.

They said they did not want to go through court proceedings but the decision to prosecute was made by the Crown Prosecution Service based on evidence collected by the police.

Well-wishers turn out to support the McCanns on the 19th anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance

Julia Wandelt (pictured), who repeatedly claimed to be Madeleine, was found guilty of stalking the family but was cleared of a more serious stalking charge in November last year.

They said: ‘We hope that Ms Wandelt will receive the appropriate care and support she needs and that any vulnerability will not be exploited by others.

‘If anyone has new evidence regarding Madeleine’s disappearance, please pass it on to the police.’

Kate and Gerry had avoided their daughter’s anniversary ceremony in 2024 on police advice during the worrying ordeal of stalking and harassment.

Wandelt awkwardly showed up to the event and demanded the couple hand-deliver a letter, and was upset to learn they weren’t there.

Maddie’s disappearance remains one of the world’s largest missing person investigations ever. Her kidnapper has so far escaped justice.

British Police searching for Maddie have been given new funding to continue their elusive hunt.

The welcome support for Kate and Gerry comes after they said they were expecting ‘positive news’ and ‘the breakthrough we’ve been longing for’ this year.

The government has approved Scotland Yard’s new request for cash support this financial year to continue the 15-year investigation codenamed Operation Grange.

It has cost taxpayers around £13.5 million so far.

A Home Office spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘Ministers have approved the Metropolitan Police Service’s request for up to £86,000 for Operation Grange in 2026-27.

‘The MPS request was assessed in line with our Special Grants process, which is approved on an annual basis as usual.’

But the amount awarded has been cut and is £22,000 less than the previous year under Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

Picture: Madeleine McCann, who disappeared while on holiday with her family in Portugal in 2007

Image: Kate and Gerry McCann hold a picture of what Madeleine might look like as an older girl at a press conference in London in May 2012.

Breuckner, who was released from prison last year, remains a suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance

German police believe he is dead and intend to charge prime suspect, convicted rapist Christian Brueckner, with his kidnapping and ‘corpseless’ murder.

Scotland Yard is still treating the case as a missing persons investigation.

Kate and Gerry expressed their best wishes in the New Year and thanked the police and public for their continued support.

They added: ‘May May 2026 bring us the breakthrough we long for.

‘We wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us in any way they can and continues to hope to hear positive news from Madeleine.’