The King has praised the "remarkable efforts" of British Transport Police officers during a visit to the force's new headquarters in central London, where he met staff who responded to the fatal Bedfordshire train crash.
During the visit, which took place on July 8, King Charles III spoke with officers who attended the scene of the June 19 collision in Elstow, and praised the force for keeping rail networks safe.
Charles met Pc Dave Sheldrick, the first BTP officer to arrive at the scene, as well as other staff involved in the emergency response, including family liaison officers.
He said: "I’m very very pleased to be able to do this and, if I may say so, congratulate the whole of the British Transport Police... for remarkable efforts all the time, all over this country.
"And I know from travelling for all these years what a difference they make."
The collision involved two East Midlands Railway services and resulted in the death of 60-year-old train driver Shaun Burton.
An interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch found that Mr Burton passed a red signal before the crash, which injured 162 people, 102 of whom required hospital treatment.
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The visit formed part of the official opening of BTP's new headquarters in central London.
The King met a range of officers from across the force, including firearms teams, dog handlers, drone specialists, and those focused on tackling violence against women and girls.
He later unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.
BTP Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi addressed the King during her speech and highlighted the historic connection between the monarchy, the railway, and the force.
Ms D'Orsi said: "We know of your interest in our work and the challenges facing modern policing.
"We are particularly grateful for your understanding of the efforts we make every day to tackle violence against women and girls, keep passengers and railway staff safe, and keep the railway moving.
"The relationship between your family, the railway and British Transport Police stretches back more than 180 years, to Queen Victoria’s first rail journey in 1842.
"On alighting, she remarked that she was 'quite charmed at the privacy and lack of dust' – perhaps one of the earliest endorsements of rail travel."
BTP is a national special police force responsible for policing the railway network, covering over 10,000 miles of track and more than 3,000 stations and depots across England, Wales and Scotland.
The force is also responsible for policing the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, and other city metro and tram systems.
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