As he gripped the hand of one Golders Green knife victim, the King lifted spirits left battered by rampant anti-Semitism, writes ROBERT HARDMAN

At 11am yesterday morning, 15-year-old Yona Maarek was checking her notes on the role of the monarch ahead of her GCSE citizenship exam in the afternoon.

An hour later, she was running down from Tiferes Girls’ High School to see the real thing roll out of Bentley state. ‘I was just reviewing it!’ he shouted.

Apart from a heavy police lineup and local civic leaders, there was no information of a royal visit to Golders Green.

But news of the royal VIP began to spread shortly before noon when police barriers began to go up next to Grodz’s cafe and bakery. Within half an hour Golders Green Road became impassable.

It’s hard to overstate how much the monarch’s surprise arrival yesterday meant to this corner of North London, not to mention the wider Jewish community.

Golders Green is still reeling from the shock of a man traveling across the capital to randomly stab two Jewish strangers in separate incidents on these streets on April 29.

This followed recent attacks on an ambulance fleet belonging to the Jewish charity Hatzola on October 7, 2023, and another attack on a memorial to the victims of Hamas persecution.

What compounded the pain of this widespread anti-Semitism was the provocation of the media by anti-Zionists who placed the blame on Israel.

King meets stabbing victim Michael Shine and his sister Doreen during his visit

This is a losing point for a fearful community of loyal, law-abiding British citizens who want to go about their daily lives without being killed for their religious beliefs.

And nothing has lifted their spirits more recently than the King’s appearance at London NW11.

He arrived at the Jewish Hospice shortly after noon to meet the victims of the latest attack and those who stopped it.

‘He didn’t let go of my hand. “It was incredible,” said Michael Shine, 76, who was stabbed in the neck. ‘I felt real warmth.’

“You were very brave,” the king told 33-year-old Yonathan Elkouby, who was at a meeting on April 29 when he received news of an attack nearby. He cornered the attacker with his car and then helped pin him to the ground.

Mr. Elkouby belongs to Shomrim, a local neighborhood watch organization armed only with walkie-talkies.

It was one of many groups invited to the royal conversation yesterday, including the Community Security Trust, the national charity tackling antisemitism.

Its members were very excited two months ago when the King agreed to become its patron. “And now we have a day like this; it means a lot to everyone,” said vice president Sir Lloyd Dorfman, an old friend of the King.

When the royal visitor emerged onto the street, people were clinging to lampposts in crowds of ten people. Hundreds of people had somehow climbed the railings above Leon’s fruit and vegetable shop and an excellent souvenir shop called Royal Judaica.

It was the endearingly old-fashioned scene we encountered back in the day when local newspapers (RIP) printed royal travel plans days in advance. Modern security concerns have put a stop to all that, and this visit involved more security than most.

King Charles greets a large crowd in Golders Green to show his support for the Jewish community

Yet Golders Green (understandably) maintains an excellent local network. It was literally a ball fight. And that’s how the King likes to travel.

Some applauded, some sang the National Anthem. “We’re all royalists here,” said Jude Colman, 49, who recites the traditional prayer for the monarch and the Royal Family at the synagogue every week.

Local rabbi and podcaster Aubrey Hersh began a different prayer. “This is the prayer we say when we see a King,” he later explained. ‘This means that God gave God’s honor to the royal family.’ She and the King then discussed their mutual friend, the late Lily Ebert, one of seven Holocaust survivors whose portraits are now in the Royal Collection.

Local schools appear to be empty at lunch time. “I told him I was coming straight from the Maths GCSE exam,” said Ayala, 15. “He said: ‘If you don’t pass, you can blame it on me!’

The king eventually went into Grodz’s shop to buy a loaf of challah bread, then found his way back to Bentley.

Following his departure, more than a dozen police officers formed an orderly queue to buy coffee; At this point a passerby forced his way to the front of the queue. 67-year-old Avi Feld shouted to the woman at the cash register: ‘Don’t pay them!’ ‘I’m taking these! These are our protectors.’

Although unconnected, the King’s visit was supported by a message from Prince Harry yesterday.

Writing in the New Statesman, the Duke of Sussex warned of the ‘deeply disturbing rise of anti-Semitism’ and admitted his teenage foolishness in wearing a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party in 2005. ‘I am acutely aware of my past mistakes; Reckless actions for which I apologize, take responsibility and learn from.’

‘This was very positive; “I’m very honest with him,” said David Berger, 47, standing in the melee outside Grodz’s. ‘I must say that the support and words of the Royal Family mean more to us today than those of any politician.’