Duchess of Cambridge makes quiet visit to look at flowers laid in memory of Sarah Everard at Clapham Common bandstand

The Duchess of Cambridge has made an unannounced visit to Clapham Common to pay her respects to Sarah Everard because she “remembers what it felt like to walk around London at night before she got married”.

An official vigil at the common’s bandstand was cancelled this morning, but thousands have visited the park to pay tribute to Ms Everard.

One of those was Prince William’s wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, and sources close to Kensington Palace told The Telegraph: “The Duchess wanted to pay her respects to Sarah and her family. She remembers what it felt like to walk around London at night before she got married.”

Reclaim These Streets had been planning to host a demonstration on Clapham Common on Saturday, near to where the 33-year-old, whose body was formally identified yesterday, went missing.

But organisers Reclaim These Streets cancelled the event after a High Court case yesterday ruled against a breach of the rules. And talks with police also failed to find a solution. Instead, the orgauisers have encouraged people to join a doorstep vigil at 9.30pm on Saturday.

A fundraising campaign set up this morning by Reclaim These Streets passed its target of £320,000 for any legal costs which might arise from events organised in her memory.

In spite of the cancellation, people have been turning up in solidarity all afternoon. Flowers have been laid at the bandstand at the park, and the Duchess was seen there reading messages left in tribute to Ms Everard.