Madeleine McCann: 16th Anniversary

Madeleine McCann's parents issue heartbreaking new statement, 16 years after disappearance

By Dan Falvey

Published: 03/05/2023 - 10:30

Madeleine McCann's parents said their daughter is "still very much missed" in a heartbreaking statement issued to mark 16 years since she went missing.

Kate and Gerry McCann wrote an update on the 'Official Find Madeleine Campaign' Facebook page on the anniversary of her disappearance.

Maddie went missing on May 3, 2007 while on holiday with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

In the statement, the couple said: "Today marks the 16th anniversary of Madeleine’s abduction.

"Still missing…… still very much missed. It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel."

Thanking everyone who has supported them through the years the pair added that they "await a breakthrough" from the police investigation.

Earlier this year the Met Police requested more money from the Home Office to extend its investigation into what happened when Madeleine vanished without a trace from the holiday villa the McCanns had been staying in.

Kate and Gerry had been having dinner with friends at a tapas restaurant just 55 metres away.

Since 2011, £13million has been spent on trying to find answers as to what happened to Madeleine.

The McCanns's new statement also included a poem by Clare Polland, titled ‘The Contradiction’, which the McCanns said "resonates strongly" with them.

The poem is about how the absence of a person only increases love for them.

It opens: "The absence contradicts itself: the missing conjures what we miss."

The McCanns are expected to join family and friends tonight to remember their daughter with a gathering taking place in their home village at 7pm.

Ahead of the gathering, Madeleine's great uncle Brian Kennedy said: "Kate and Gerry always feel heartened by the attendance of well wishers.

"It is much appreciated that people still want to show such support."

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Madeleine McCann’s parents issue statement 16 years after her disappearance

"Still missing… still very much missed"

ByNeil ShawNetwork Content Editor (Live and Trends)

11:45, 3 MAY 2023Updated11:47, 3 MAY 2023

The parents of Madeleine McCann have marked the 16th anniversary of her disappearance by thanking well-wishers and saying she is “still very much missed”.

In a short statement on the official Find Madeleine Campaign website, Kate and Gerry McCann said: “Today marks the 16th anniversary of Madeleine’s abduction. Still missing… still very much missed.

“It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel.

“The police investigation continues, and we await a breakthrough. Thank you to everyone for your support – it really helps.”

The couple, of Rothley, Leicestershire, also posted a poem named The Contradiction, written by Clare Pollard, which they said resonates strongly as they mark the anniversary.

Part of the poem reads: “The absence contradicts itself: the missing conjures what we miss.

“I cannot hold you, yet I do: please let me hold you in my head and where you are now, hold me too.”

Madeleine was aged three when she disappeared from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal on May 3 2007.

The McCanns’ statement comes two weeks after a German court said it had decided not to hear a sex offences case against a man who is a suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine.

Prosecutors in the northern city of Braunschweig in October charged Christian Brueckner in several separate cases involving sexual offences allegedly committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

The court decided not to hear the case because the region where it is located is not the last place where Bruckner lived in Germany.

Brueckner, who has reportedly denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance, was identified as a murder suspect in the McCann case by Portuguese officials in June 2020.

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Madeleine McCann's parents say they 'await a breakthrough' in new statement

Kate and Gerry McCann say daughter Madeleine - who vanished in 2007 age three - is “still very much missed” as they mark the 16th anniversary of her disappearance

ByMartin FrickerSenior Reporter

   09:47, 3 May 2023Updated11:19, 3 May 2023

Kate and Gerry McCann say their daughter Madeleine is “still very much missed” as they mark the 16th anniversary of her disappearance.

In a post on the ‘Official Find Madeleine Campaign’ Facebook page, the couple wrote: “Still missing …. still very much missed.”

Kate and Gerry, of Rothley, Leics, added: “It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel.”

They then posted a poem by Clare Polland, titled ‘The Contradiction’, saying it “resonates strongly with us”.

The heartwrenching poem reads: "You are not here, I’m not myself, but still I talk to you like this."

And adds: "I cannot hold you, yet I do: please let me hold you in my head and where you are now, hold me too."

They ended their post by saying: “The police investigation continues, and we await a breakthrough.

“Thank you to everyone for your support - it really helps.”

Kate and Gerry are expected to join friends and family tonight to remember their daughter.

A prayer gathering is due to take place in their home village at 7pm.

It is not known if Madeleine’s twin siblings Sean and Amelie, now aged 18, will attend the service.

Their older sister was three when she vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.

Kate and Gerry are still hoping their daughter, who would now be 19, will one day be found alive.

Her great uncle Brian Kennedy said ahead of tonight’s event: “Kate and Gerry always feel heartened by the attendance of well wishers.

“It is much appreciated that people still want to show such support.”

German paedophile Christian Brueckner, who was living in a farmhouse close to Praia da Luz in 2007, has been named as the prime suspect.

But the 45-year-old, who is serving a jail term in his home country for raping a pensioner in Praia da Luz, denies any involvement.

Last week, he had the rape allegations against him dropped by a German court.

The suspect has not been charged in the McCann case, in which he is under investigation on suspicion of murder.

An investigation began in Germany after prosecutors there discovered "concrete evidence" of her death.

Brueckner had been charged with several sexual offences that occurred close to where Madeleine was holidaying with her family before she vanished.

Prosecutors in the northern city of Braunschweig in October charged Bruckner in several separate cases involving sexual offences allegedly committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

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'Please let me hold you': Madeleine McCann's parents share heartbreaking poem to mark 16 years since she vanished and say they are still waiting for a 'breakthrough'

Madeleine McCann went missing in 2017 during a family holiday in Portugal

By Rachael Bunyan

Published: 11:43, 3 May 2023 | Updated: 12:10, 3 May 2023

Madeleine McCann's devastated parents today shared a heartbreaking poem to mark 16 years since their little girl vanished from their holiday villa in Portugal.

Kate and Gerry McCann said they still find it 'hard to find the words' to convey how they feel on the 16th anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance, as they said they are still waiting anxiously for a 'breakthrough' in the case.

In a touching tribute, the grieving parents shared a poem by Clare Pollard which includes the heartbreaking line 'please let me hold you'.

The McCanns said Pollard's poem The Contradiction 'resonates strongly with us' as it conveys the sheer pain of losing loved ones.

They added they 'still very much miss' Madeleine, who would now be 19 if still alive. The British girl, then three, went missing while on holiday with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.

Instead, as words failed them, the parents shared Pollard's poem which reads: 'The absence contradicts itself: the missing conjures what we miss. You are not here, I'm not myself, but still talk to you like this.

'You're in the crowd, the news, the glimpse - I make you there when you're not there.

'I trace your steps, I map your face, I say your name, see you in air.'

The poem continues: 'You're all I know and so unknown. I cannot hold you yet I do: please let me hold you in my head and where are you now, hold me too.

'How can you be so near and far? You are not here. But here you are.'

After posting the poem, the McCanns added that as the police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance continues, they 'await a breakthrough'.

'Thank you to everyone for your support - it really helps,' the parents wrote before signing of with their names.

The post came two weeks after German prosecutors said are dropping sex offence charges against Christian Brueckner, a suspect in Madeleine's disappearance, as they did not have jurisdiction over him.

Bruecker, 45, is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for a rape he committed against a pensioner in Portugal in 2005.

Last year he was charged with a number of sex offences – said to have taken place on the Algarve where the three-year-old vanished in 2007 – between 2000 and 2017.

But those charges have not been dropped by the Braunschweig court over issues with jurisdiction. But it's believed another court in Germany could take charge of the case.

Germany prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said that nothing has changed in the toddler's case and that the decision by the Braunschweig court will need to be reviewed.

Brueckner hasn't been charged in Madeleine's case, in which he is under investigation on suspicion of murder.

He spent many years in Portugal, including in the resort of Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine's disappearance there in 2007. He has denied any involvement in her abduction.

Madeleine went missing while on holiday with her family in a villa in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.

Her siblings, twins Sean and Amelie McCann, were in the same room as Madeleine when she vanished.

Maddie disappeared from her bed in a holiday villa while Gerry and Kate, from Rothley in Leicestershire, were having dinner with friends at a tapas restaurant just 55 metres away.

Kate checked the children at 10pm to find Maddie had disappeared, but the twins, then aged two-years-old, were still sleeping soundly in their cots.

Last month, it was revealed that police investigating Madeleine's disappearance are to receive hundreds of thousands of pounds in a new funding effort.

A significant sum has been requested by the Met Police and is likely to be approved by the Home Office, reported the Sun.

Each year hundreds of thousands of pounds are spent on attempts to find her, with a total of £13million being spent since 2011.

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Madeleine McCann's parents 'await a breakthrough' 16 years after she vanished

Kate and Gerry McCann remain hopeful that their daughter will one day be found.

ByMartin FrickerSenior Reporter
John-Paul Clark

11:43, 3 MAY 2023

Madeleine McCann's parents say she remains “very much missed” on the 16th anniversary of her disappearance.

Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, spoke about their daughter who vanished aged three in 2017 from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal, reports the Daily Mirror.

They posted on the ‘Official Find Madeleine Campaign’ Facebook page, and wrote: “Still missing …. still very much missed.”

The post added: “It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel.”

They then posted a poem by Clare Polland, titled ‘The Contradiction’, saying it “resonates strongly with us”.

The post ended by saying: “The police investigation continues, and we await a breakthrough.

“Thank you to everyone for your support - it really helps.”

Kate and Gerry will join friends and family tonight to remember their daughter at a prayer gathering in their home village at 7pm.

It is not known whether Madeleine’s twin siblings Sean and Amelie, now aged 18, will be in attendance.

“It is much appreciated that people still want to show such support.”

German paedophile Christian Brueckner, 45, who was living in a farmhouse close to where Madeleine vanished, has is the prime suspect.

But the beast [ ], who is serving a jail term in his home country for raping a pensioner in Praia da Luz, denies any involvement.

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I find that statement, sentence, incredible .... 'still missed'?

The most devastating tragedy that could happen to anyone on the planet is the loss of a child, probably worse still when the whereabouts of that child is unknown - apparently.

You would carry the grief and heartache to death, with no time off for good behaviour. All they can say is she is still missed.

Verdi wrote:I find that statement, sentence, incredible .... 'still missed'?

The most devastating tragedy that could happen to anyone on the planet is the loss of a child, probably worse still when the whereabouts of that child is unknown  - apparently.

You would carry the grief and heartache to death, with no time off for good behaviour.  All they can say is she is still missed.

They didn't even use the word 'she', let alone her name.

Still missed..

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Still hoping..

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After 16 years , still no words directly to Madeleine , or indeed to the alleged " abductor ".

Just the same old flannel . 

How many " supporters " will turn up I wonder , none of the Tapas 7 I bet ! They remain silent and " missing " in action .

By Audrey Conklin | Fox News
Published May 3, 2023 11:01am EDT

The parents of Madeleine McCann, a British toddler who went missing from a family vacation 16 years ago Tuesday, released a statement 16 years after their daughter's disappearance.

Madeleine was abducted from the family's ground-floor apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007, when she was 3 years old.

"The police investigation continues, and we await a breakthrough. Thank you to everyone for your support - it really helps," Kate and Gerry McCann said in a Tuesday statement posted to the "Official Find Madeleine Campaign" Facebook page.

The bereaved parents shared a poem that "resonates strongly" with them called "The Contradiction" by Clare Pollard about simultaneously feeling someone's physical absence and emotional presence after that person is gone.

MISSING MADELEINE MCCANN: GERMAN COURT THROWS OUT SEX CHARGES AGAINST SUSPECT IN TODDLER'S DISAPPEARANCE

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Kate and Gerry McCann shared a poem called "The Contradiction" about simultaneously feeling someone's physical absence and emotional presence after that person is gone. (FindMadeleine.com)

"Still missing [...] still very much missed," Kate and Gerry McCann wrote. "It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel."

MISSING MADELEINE MCCANN: POLISH WOMAN APOLOGIZES TO MISSING BRITISH GIRL'S PARENTS

Kate and Gerry McCann were vacationing with their three young children when Madeleine was taken from her bed. The family was staying in a ground-floor apartment and the parents had left their three sleeping children alone while they went to dinner.

A German court on April 20 dismissed unrelated sexual assault charges against the sole suspect in Madeleine's disappearance: a German man named Christian Brueckner.

MADELEINE MCCANN: POLISH WOMAN CLAIMING TO BE MISSING BRITISH TODDLER GETS DNA TEST RESULTS

Brueckner, a 46-year-old German citizen, continues to deny involvement in the case.

Brueckner was already serving a seven-year sentence for raping an elderly woman in 2005, Reuters reported, citing his lawyer.

The suspect was charged in 2022 for sex crimes against children that German authorities allege he committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. Bruekner spent many years in Portugal, including in Praia da Luz, around the time of Madeleine’s disappearance.

Madeleine was born in May 2003 and would be turning 20 years old this month.

BRITISH GIRL MADELEINE MCCANN STILL MISSING AFTER 15 YEARS

Kate and Gerry describe Madeleine on their website, findmadeleine.com, as "a warm, life-enriching little person" who will "never fail" to "bring joy into the life of anyone she may encounter."

She is a "happy little girl" and "has always been a wonderfully loving and caring big sister," they said.

McCann's family is accepting donations for the search for Madeleine through their website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Clearly today's reports emanate from a central point - a press agency, Associated Press it would appear, with the individual reporter adding their own slant.

Note to Associated Press and affiliated press outlets:

There is no evidence or intelligence to suggest, let alone prove, that  Madeleine McCann was kidnapped and/or abducted.

Know your subject before reporting..

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Stop look listen before you proceed ....

Whatever happened to little Madeleine, a sad day for those who truly loved and cared about her.

Madeleine McCann’s younger sister Amelie, 18, speaks publicly for the first time at candle ceremony to mark 16 years since her disappearance, calling it ‘a sad occasion’

This is the first time Amelie McCann has been pictured since she was a child
Amelie said today: 'It's nice that everyone is here together but it's a sad occasion'

By Tracey Kandohla and Natasha Anderson

Published: 22:07, 3 May 2023 | Updated: 22:24, 3 May 2023

Madeleine McCann's younger sister spoke publicly for the first time tonight as her family marked the poignant 16th anniversary of her disappearance.

Madeleine vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007 when she was just three years old.

Her sister Amelie, now 18, joined her parents and well wishers at Madeleine's candle service tonight. She said: 'It's nice that everyone is here together but it's a sad occasion.'

This is the first time Amelie, who is applying to go to university, has been pictured since she was a toddler. It gives a glimpse of what her older sibling may now look like as an adult.

The vigil comes comes two weeks after a German court said it had decided not to hear a sex offences case against a man who is a suspect in Madeleine's disappearance.

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Madeleine McCann's sister Amelie, 18, (right) lit a candle in her memory tonight as she joined her parents and well wishers on the poignant 16th anniversary of her disappearance

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Kate and Gerry McCann pictured with their daughter Amelie tonight at the Prayers Service held in the village of Rothley to mark the 16th anniversary of the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine McCann

Amelie, with her long blonde hair and casually dressed in navy leggings, trainers and cream puffa jacket, was warmly welcomed along with Kate and Gerry by locals and supporters during an informal prayer gathering in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire.

Her twin brother Sean did not attend.

Kate's close friend Fiona Payne, one of her 'Tapas Seven' pals who was on the fateful holiday in Portugal when three-year-old Maddie vanished in May 2007, was among the crowd.

Amelie took her turn to light a candle for Maddie and other missing children at the war memorial where pictures of her sister adorned the black railing and where a lantern of hope still glows around the clock for her.

Kate, wearing black jeans and a blue jacket, joined in prayers but neither she nor Gerry addressed the crowds.

Fiona, a doctor, read a moving poem 'Hope is the thing with feathers' by Emily Dickinson. She later shared a warm embrace with Kate.

Vicar of the local parish church, the rev. Rob Gladstone, leading prayers at the informal outdoor, told supporters: 'We are here this evening to show our loving concern for Madeleine and for all young children who have been taken away from their families against their will.

'We are also here to encourage one another to keep up hope and pray for a renewal of strength even after this long time.'

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Tonight marked the first time Amelie, (left) who is applying to go to university, was pictured since she was a toddler. It gives a glimpse of what her older sibling may now look like as an adult. The 18-year-old is pictured with her mother, Kate (right), who is hugging a vigil attendee

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Kate McCann, (pictured) wearing black jeans and a blue jacket, joined in prayers but neither she nor Gerry addressed the crowds

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Amelie, with her long blonde hair and casually dressed in navy leggings, trainers and cream puffa jacket, was warmly welcomed by locals and supporters during an informal prayer gathering in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire. Amelie is pictured with her mother

Amelie, accompanied by her friend Georgina, joined in repeating mantras read out by individual people in the 70-strong crowd including 'Never never give up', 'leave no stone unturned', 'don't forget about me' and 'still missing, still missed.'

Kate and Gerry cling onto a glimmer of hope that Maddie, who would now be aged 19, nearly 20, could still be alive.

Kate's uncle, retired head teacher Brian Kennedy, 84, after the event: 'Kate and Gerry are very moved by the size of the group of people who turned up.

'After all these years people still assemble - some come every tine and some are new and we are very grateful.'

Brian, who lives in the same village with wife Janet, who addressed supporters, added: 'Sixteen years without someone and still not knowing where they are is a very long time. Even if it was bad news, in some ways, would give us some closure.

'But with no closure there is still hope.'

German police are convinced Maddie is dead and have been intent on charging prime suspect Christian Brueckner - sensationally named nearly three years ago - with her kidnap and 'no body' murder.

But it recently emerged that the convicted peadophile may never face a trial in the high profile Maddie case, and with unrelated alleged sex offences, because of a legal technicality over foreign courts' jurisdiction.

Brueckner, 45, is currently serving a sentence in a German jail for the rape of an American tourist in the same Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz Maddie vanished from in May 2007.

He has vehemently denied any involvement in her abduction.

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Kate and Gerry cling onto a glimmer of hope that Maddie, who would now be aged 19, nearly 20, could still be alive. Gerry is pictured with his daughter Amelie

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Kate and Gerry McCann pictured with their daughter Amelie during the prayers service today

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Amelie McCann, (right) 18, lights a candle at the Prayers Service held in the village of Rothley to mark the 16th anniversary of the disappearance of her sister Madeleine

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Kate and Amelie McCann are pictured at the prayer service tonight

No suspects have ever been charged in connection with the world's most talked about missing child mysteries.

British Police have recently asked the Home Office for more money to keep their investigation, codenamed Operation Grange and which has cost the taxpayer £13 million so far, going.

Their request is set to be approved by a Special Grants committee.

Maddie was snatched just nine days before her fourth birthday from a holiday apartment in the popular Algarve destination while she was left sleeping alone with her younger twin siblings.

At the time her parents were dining with pals in a nearby tapas restaurant.

Renowned heart doctor Gerry and Kate, a former GP turned medical worker with dementia sufferers, both 45, have previously said: 'We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace.'

As Brueckner is still being investigated, the couple they have stated: 'All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice.'

The couple, both 45, have previously said:: 'We are grateful for the ongoing work and commitment by the British, German and Portuguese police. It is this combined police effort which will yield results and bring us those answers'

Polish girl Julie Wendell has recently heaped more misery on Maddie's parents by claiming in global online posts to be the missing child.

Despite negative DNA tests and denials from her own family, a year difference in age, she bizarrely continues to insist she is Madeleine.

Kate and Gerry had earlier posted a message on the official Find Maddie website, saying their daughter was 'still very much missed' and they 'await a breakthrough' in the police hunt for her.

They wrote: 'Today marks the 16th anniversary of Madeleine's abduction. Still missing...still very much missed.

'It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel. The poem below, by Clare Pollard, resonates strongly with us.

The Contradiction

The absence contradicts itself:

the missing conjures what we miss.

You are not here, I'm not myself,

but still I talk to you like this.

You're in the crowd, the news, the glimpse -

I make you there when you're not there.

I trace your steps, I map your face,

I say your name, see you in air.

You're all I know and so unknown.

I cannot hold you, yet I do:

please let me hold you in my head

and where you are now, hold me too.

How can you be so near and far?

You are not here. But here you are.

'The police investigation continues, and we await a breakthrough. Thank you to everyone for your support - it really helps.'

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on every level

"Tonight marked the first time Amelie, (left) who is applying to go to university, was pictured since she was a toddler. It gives a glimpse of what her older sibling may now look like as an adult. The 18-year-old is pictured with her mother, Kate (right), who is hugging a vigil attendee"


POPPYCOCK - they really have no idea do they?


This must be what we call Scotch mist in Lancashire


[size=33]The resemblance of Amelie McCann, Maddie's sister, with Julia sweeps TikTok
[/size]

Julia Faustyna (other media give her the surname Wendell or Wandelt), is a young woman who believes she can be the lost girl.

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[size=10]Madeleine McCann (Peter Macdiarmid and TikTok/GettyImages and TikTok capture @amonetix)

By [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]February 22, 2023 at 08:56 hrs.
[/size]

Madeleine McCann’s younger sister Amelie, 18, speaks publicly for the first time at candle ceremony to mark 16 years since her disappearance, calling it ‘a sad occasion’

By TRACEY KANDOHLA and NATASHA ANDERSON

PUBLISHED: 22:07, 3 May 2023 | UPDATED: 22:24, 3 May 2023

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]'s younger sister spoke publicly for the first time tonight as her family marked the poignant 16th anniversary of her disappearance.
Madeleine vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007 when she was just three years old.
Her sister Amelie, now 18, joined her parents and well wishers at Madeleine's candle service tonight. She said: 'It's nice that everyone is here together but it's a sad occasion.'
This is the first time Amelie, who is applying to go to university, has been pictured since she was a toddler. It gives a glimpse of what her older sibling may now look like as an adult.
The vigil comes comes two weeks after a German court said it had decided not to hear a sex offences case against a man who is a suspect in Madeleine's disappearance.
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Madeleine McCann's sister Amelie, 18, (right) lit a candle in her memory tonight as she joined her parents and well wishers on the poignant 16th anniversary of her disappearance
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Kate and Gerry McCann pictured with their daughter Amelie tonight at the Prayers Service held in the village of Rothley to mark the 16th anniversary of the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine McCann
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Madeleine McCann (pictured) vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007 when she was just three years old
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Kate and Gerry McCann are pictured with their children Amelie, Sean and Maddie before their eldest daughter's disappearance

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Amelie, with her long blonde hair and casually dressed in navy leggings, trainers and cream puffa jacket, was warmly welcomed along with Kate and Gerry by locals and supporters during an informal prayer gathering in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire.
Her twin brother Sean did not attend.
Kate's close friend Fiona Payne, one of her 'Tapas Seven' pals who was on the fateful holiday in Portugal when three-year-old Maddie vanished in May 2007, was among the crowd.
Amelie took her turn to light a candle for Maddie and other missing children at the war memorial where pictures of her sister adorned the black railing and where a lantern of hope still glows around the clock for her.
Kate, wearing black jeans and a blue jacket, joined in prayers but neither she nor Gerry addressed the crowds.
Fiona, a doctor, read a moving poem 'Hope is the thing with feathers' by Emily Dickinson. She later shared a warm embrace with Kate.
Vicar of the local parish church, the rev. Rob Gladstone, leading prayers at the informal outdoor, told supporters: 'We are here this evening to show our loving concern for Madeleine and for all young children who have been taken away from their families against their will.
'We are also here to encourage one another to keep up hope and pray for a renewal of strength even after this long time.'
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Tonight marked the first time Amelie,  (left) who is applying to go to university, was pictured since she was a toddler. It gives a glimpse of what her older sibling may now look like as an adult. The 18-year-old is pictured with her mother, Kate (right), who is hugging a vigil attendee
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Kate McCann, (pictured) wearing black jeans and a blue jacket, joined in prayers but neither she nor Gerry addressed the crowds
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Amelie, with her long blonde hair and casually dressed in navy leggings, trainers and cream puffa jacket, was warmly welcomed by locals and supporters during an informal prayer gathering in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire. Amelie is pictured with her mother

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Amelie, accompanied by her friend Georgina, joined in repeating mantras read out by individual people in the 70-strong crowd including 'Never never give up', 'leave no stone unturned', 'don't forget about me' and 'still missing, still missed.'
Kate and Gerry cling onto a glimmer of hope that Maddie, who would now be aged 19, nearly 20, could still be alive.
Kate's uncle, retired head teacher Brian Kennedy, 84, after the event: 'Kate and Gerry are very moved by the size of the group of people who turned up.
'After all these years people still assemble - some come every tine and some are new and we are very grateful.'
Brian, who lives in the same village with wife Janet, who addressed supporters, added: 'Sixteen years without someone and still not knowing where they are is a very long time. Even if it was bad news, in some ways, would give us some closure.
'But with no closure there is still hope.'
German police are convinced Maddie is dead and have been intent on charging prime suspect Christian Brueckner - sensationally named nearly three years ago - with her kidnap and 'no body' murder.
But it recently emerged that the convicted peadophile may never face a trial in the high profile Maddie case, and with unrelated alleged sex offences, because of a legal technicality over foreign courts' jurisdiction.
Brueckner, 45, is currently serving a sentence in a German jail for the rape of an American tourist in the same Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz Maddie vanished from in May 2007.
He has vehemently denied any involvement in her abduction.
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Kate and Gerry cling onto a glimmer of hope that Maddie, who would now be aged 19, nearly 20, could still be alive. Gerry is pictured with his daughter Amelie
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Kate and Gerry McCann pictured with their daughter Amelie during the prayers service today
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Amelie McCann, (right) 18, lights a candle at the Prayers Service held in the village of Rothley to mark the 16th anniversary of the disappearance of her sister Madeleine
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Kate and Amelie McCann are pictured at the prayer service tonight
No suspects have ever been charged in connection with the world's most talked about missing child mysteries.
British Police have recently asked the Home Office for more money to keep their investigation, codenamed Operation Grange and which has cost the taxpayer £13 million so far, going.
Their request is set to be approved by a Special Grants committee.
Maddie was snatched just nine days before her fourth birthday from a holiday apartment in the popular Algarve destination while she was left sleeping alone with her younger twin siblings.
At the time her parents were dining with pals in a nearby tapas restaurant.
Renowned heart doctor Gerry and Kate, a former GP turned medical worker with dementia sufferers, both 45, have previously said: 'We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace.'
As Brueckner is still being investigated, the couple they have stated: 'All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice.'
The couple, both 45, have previously said:: 'We are grateful for the ongoing work and commitment by the British, German and Portuguese police. It is this combined police effort which will yield results and bring us those answers'
Polish girl Julie Wendell has recently heaped more misery on Maddie's parents by claiming in global online posts to be the missing child.
Despite negative DNA tests and denials from her own family, a year difference in age, she bizarrely continues to insist she is Madeleine. 
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Maddie McCann (pictured) was snatched just nine days before her fourth birthday from a holiday apartment in the popular Algarve destination while she was left sleeping alone with her younger twin siblings
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Pictured is an aerial view of the Ocean Club apartments and tapas bar, Praia da Luz, Portugal where Madeleine McCann disappeared in 2007
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German police are convinced Maddie is dead and have been intent on charging prime suspect Christian Brueckner (pictured) - sensationally named nearly three years ago - with her kidnap and 'no body' murder
Kate and Gerry had earlier posted a message on the official Find Maddie website, saying their daughter was 'still very much missed' and they 'await a breakthrough' in the police hunt for her.
They wrote: 'Today marks the 16th anniversary of Madeleine's abduction. Still missing...still very much missed.
'It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel. The poem below, by Clare Pollard, resonates strongly with us.
The Contradiction
The absence contradicts itself:
the missing conjures what we miss.
You are not here, I'm not myself,
but still I talk to you like this.
You're in the crowd, the news, the glimpse -
I make you there when you're not there.
I trace your steps, I map your face,
I say your name, see you in air.
You're all I know and so unknown.
I cannot hold you, yet I do:
please let me hold you in my head
and where you are now, hold me too.
How can you be so near and far?
You are not here. But here you are.
'The police investigation continues, and we await a breakthrough. Thank you to everyone for your support - it really helps.'

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Madeleine McCann's sister speaks publicly about the case for first time

By Olive Oyl [circa. 2007-2023]

She said: “It’s nice that everyone is here together but it’s a sad occasion.”

The Daily Tablet.com
............

Bit of a stretch of the imagination, hardly 'speaking out publicly' is it?

And as a matter of interest, how exactly can you chant “never give up”, “leave no stone unturned”, “don’t forget about me” and “still missing, still missed”.

"I cannot hold you, yet I do": Kate McCann's moving poem at vigil to mark 11 years since daughter Maddie went missing

Parents Kate and Gerry appeared at a poignant outdoor prayer service in their village of Rothley, Leics, in and thanked neighbours for joining them on an "unhappy day"

ByTracey Kandohla

   22:28, 3 May 2018Updated11:40, 4 May 2018

Kate McCann tonight read out a heartbreaking poem dedicated to missing daughter Madeleine on the 11th anniversary of her disappearance.

Parents Kate and Gerry appeared at a poignant outdoor prayer service in their village of Rothley, Leics, where they thanked supportive neighbours for joining them on what they described as an "unhappy day".

Eleven years ago, their daughter Madeleine vanished from a holiday apartment in Portugal’s Praia da Luz, sparking the start of a decade-long hunt to find her.

Speaking ahead of the 11th anniversary, the couple said "perseverance and hope remain" in finding their child, who would now be 14 years old.

Tonight Kate read a poem, entitled The Contradiction, which included the haunting words: “I trace your steps, I map your face. You’re all I know and so unknown. I cannot hold you, yet I do.”

Prayers were led by parish vicar the Rev Rob Gladstone and touching messages of support were read out by school friends of Maddie’s younger twin siblings Sean and Amelie, who didn’t attend.

Eminent heart doctor Gerry, who has just returned from a hectic work trip to Scotland, thanked the 70-strong crowd for turning out.

He said: “It means an awful lot for so many people to come out on such an unhappy day - another anniversary. But it gives us strength and your support for us is tremendous.

Gerry, 49, dressed casually in jeans and grey sweater, joined locals placing name tags of symbolic missing and lost people on a vine tree of hope temporarily placed at the heart of the village.

Among 28 selected names read out as they were attached to the branches were Claudia Lawrence and April Jones, and Madeleine McCann.

During the 25-minute gathering a sombre-looking Kate handed out Maddie bookmarks, with a prayer which the crowd chanted together.

The former GP, 5O, dressed in jeans and purple hooded jacket, later hugged supporters.

The Rev Gladstone opened the informal service by saying “It is a very poignant anniversary. We pray for Madeleine and encourage Kate and Gerry in faith, hope, strength, perseverance and courage.”

Crowds of supporters, family, friends and locals assembled at the war memorial where a lantern - a beacon of hope - still shines brightly around the clock for the world’s most famous missing child.

Kate and Gerry had earlier told of their “hope and perseverance” in a posting on the official Find Madeleine Campaign website

Brave Kate and Gerry cling onto a glimmer of hope that Maddie - who would now be aged 14 - could still be alive.

The couple have recently been buoyed up by Scotland Yard’s continuing support to help find their daughter. Police have been given an extra £154,000 to keep the search going until the end of September.

Three-year-old Maddie vanished from a holiday apartment in Portugal’s Praia da Luz in May 2007.

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Clare Pollard

Clare's Official Site

Lighting a Candle

13th December 2012

On Monday night I went to a carol service in St-Martin’s-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, organized by the charity Missing People, to remember those missing at Christmas. I had been invited to write a poem, as it can be difficult to find readings appropriate to those in this ‘limbo’ – whilst there is loss there is also hope. I wrote this sonnet, ‘The Contradiction’, which was read very movingly by Kate McCann.



The Contradiction



The absence contradicts itself:

the missing conjures what we miss.

You are not here, I’m not myself,

but still I talk to you like this.

You’re in the crowd, the news, the glimpse –

I make you there when you’re not there.

I trace your steps, I map your face,

I say your name, see you in air.



You’re all I know and so unknown.

I cannot hold you, yet I do:

please let me hold you in my head

and where you are now, hold me too.

How can you be so near and far?

You are not here. But here you are.

Later, Elizabeth Templeton read a letter addressed to Santa by her son Alan, found amongst his things after he went missing in in 2006. ‘It is possible to make 1000 mistakes in a row. It is possible to get completely lost in bitterness, hate, rage, greed. It is possible to forget the beauty and love which surrounds you and defines who you are. But inside it is still there.’

We sang Silent Night afterwards, and each of us lit a candle to represent our thoughts for those absent. Mine dripped all over my hands and skirt, but the beauty and sadness of it still made me tearful.

The video of the service is here – Kate’s reading is just over 13 minutes in – along with the details on how to donate, and support those with missing relatives at what must be an unbearably difficult time. [video no longer available]

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Amelie McCann doesn't look remotely like Julia Wandelt - not even if you screw the eyes a bit.

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I hope this is not going to start Wandelt on yet another publicity stunt, I've had more than enough of her nonsense.

This Amelie McCann exposé is nonetheless rather intriguing - has she been bought into the charade or is there some other reason for highlighting her.

Oh my gawd - it's got wander lust..

Madeleine McCann's sister, now 18, makes poignant statement on 16th anniversary of her disappearance

Amelie joined parents Gerry and Kate at a vigil for her sister

ByTracey Kandohla
Ashlie BlakeyLive and breaking news reporter

07:36, 4 MAY 2023Updated07:37, 4 MAY 2023

Madeleine McCann's sister marked the poignant 16th anniversary of her disappearance at a vigil with her parents.

Amelie, now 18, lit a candle for her sister at the gathering in their home village of Rothley in Leicestershire, the Mirror reports. She later said: "It’s nice that everyone is here together but it’s a sad occasion."

The blonde teenager, who is applying to go to university, was casually dressed in navy leggings, trainers and a cream puffa jacket. She was warmly welcomed along with her parents Kate and Gerry by locals and supporters during the informal prayer gathering.



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It all seems a bit odd to me, Messrs McCann never do or say anything without reason.

Why .... why now !?!

By Tracey Kandohla

Published: 12:55, 4 May 2023 | Updated: 15:08, 4 May 2023

Kate McCann's best friend was at her side last night as Madeleine McCann's family poignantly marked the 16th anniversary of her disappearance.

Fiona Payne, 50, who was one of the seven friends with the McCanns on the night Maddie vanished, has often been described as Kate's 'rock' over the years.

Both doctors, the best friends, who were nicknamed 'Charlie's Angels' by a colleague at the hospital where they worked together, bear an uncanny likeness with their long blonde hair and both wearing reading glasses now.

During Wednesday evening's gathering to remember Madeleine in Rothley, Leicestershire, Fiona and Kate chatted together alone and with other well-wishers.

Fiona read a moving poem 'Hope is the thing with feathers' by Emily Dickinson.

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Fiona Payne, 50, read a moving poem 'Hope is the thing with feathers' by Emily Dickinson

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Kate and Gerry McCann with their daughter Amelie at the prayer service in the village of Rothley to mark the 16th anniversary of the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine

Dressed in a sky-blue shirt, causal beige trousers and trainers with a long dark coat, she took to the front of the 70-strong crowd to recite the touching words.

She later shared a warm embrace with Kate.

Kate, 54, has previously said of her rock Fiona, a mother-of-two: 'She has remained such a wonderful support. Her support is very important to me.'

And it was Fiona, who has moved to neighbouring Rutland from Kate and husband Gerry's home county, who consoled her remotely during lockdown when convicted rapist Christian Brueckner was first made a suspect nearly three years ago.

She urged former GP turned medical worker Kate: 'Don't give up hope now' as German police insisted Madeleine was dead.

A local villager at the outdoor service said: 'It was so nice to see Kate and Fiona standing side by side again, talking and hugging.

'Fiona has been a tower of strength and comfort to Kate over the years and has always been a shoulder to cry on.'

Kate first met Fiona in a staff coffee room at Leicester General Intensive Care Unit in December 2000 when they were both working as anaesthetic registrars.

Kate previously recalled: 'We became such great mates that one of our consultant colleagues rather cheekily used to refer to us as Charlie's Angels.'

When three-year-old Madeleine went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, it was Fiona who helped comfort her devastated friend, and has been there for her ever since.

Kate had said: 'We talked and cried and held onto each other. It was like a horror movie that refused to end.'

Fiona and her husband David, were among seven friends of Kate and heart doctor Gerry who had been dining together in a nearby tapas restaurant that night.

The seven friends - three couples and the mother of one of the mums – had joined the McCanns in Praia da Luz for a joint holiday and the nine adults along with their eight children.

The group of adults were dubbed the Tapas 7 as they were dining with Gerry and Kate at the hotel complex's tapas restaurant on the night Madeleine went missing.

Each of them willingly co-operated with the Portuguese and British police investigation and none were ever made 'arguido' - persons of interest - in the enquiries.

As well as Fiona and her husband Dr David Payne, there was Fiona's mother Dianne Webster, Rachael Oldfield, a recruitment consultant, and her husband Matthew and Jane Tanner and her husband Dr Russell O'Brien.

All of the couples remain living near to the McCanns in Leicestershire besides Mrs Tanner and her husband who have relocated together to Exeter, Devon.

It was Mrs Tanner who provided what was believed to have been crucial evidence by saying she saw a man carry a child from the McCann's apartment at 9.15pm - 45 minutes before Kate raised the alarm. She claimed to have seen a child in floral patterned pyjama bottoms being carried in the arms of a white, dark-haired man who did not look like a tourist.

Her testimony - known as the Tanner Sighting - was later disregarded when a British man stepped forward to say it was him carrying his daughter from the night creche - her PJs matched the ones Jane had described to the police.

Fiona, for her part as Kate's closest friend was hugely supportive of her in the days and weeks after Madeleine vanished.

When the McCanns were made suspects in the case, Fiona told a reporter: 'These accusations are absolutely outrageous. We are reeling with shock over this. Kate and Gerry are totally innocent.'

Fiona has turned up at every anniversary gathering to support Kate and pray with her - the public event was not held during two Covid-restricted years of 2020 and 2021.

On the milestone 10th anniversary service held at St Mary and St John Church in Rothley she took centre stage, remaining composed as she recited a poem with the words: 'Each branch that it grows be our hope and prayers, and every bloom bear a colour for the ones that we miss.'

When Kate and Gerry missed one gathering due to family commitment in Liverpool, it was Fiona who stepped into to address well-wishers and supporters.

Kate and Gerry - their family and close circle of friends - hold onto a glimmer of hope that Madeleine could still be alive.

She would now be aged 19, nearly 20.

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“Hope” is the thing with feathers

By Emily Dickinson - originally posted 1891

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

Did Madeleine McCann's Disappearance Change Your Parenting Methods? | Loose Women



5:51 minutes

4th May 2023

This week marks sixteen years since the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Her parents, Kate and Gerry, have marked the anniversary by thanking well-wishers and stating their daughter is “still missing… still very much missed.” For the first time we heard Madeleine's younger sister Amelie speak too. But, how has Madeleine's disappearance affected parenting methods?

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'It felt so safe ...

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