Prince William has issued a deeply personal statement about the late Queen Elizabeth II, saying just how much she meant to him and his family.
The new Prince of Wales, now first heir to the throne, said: “On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute.
“So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign. I, however, have lost a grandmother.”
On Friday, King Charles III confirmed that his first son would inherit his title of Prince of Wales, while his wife Catherine would now be Princess of Wales, a title not held since Princess Diana died in 1997.
“I have had the benefit of the Queen’s wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade,” William said of his grandmother in his statement on Saturday.
“My wife has had twenty years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives.”
In what could be seen as a references to his wedding to Kate and, possibly, to his mother’s death, he added: “She was by my side at my happiest moment. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life.”
On Saturday morning, the Prince of Wales, together with Camilla, Queen Consort, was witness to the formal proclamation of his father as King Charles III.
The Prince said that while he grieves the Queen’s loss, he also feels “incredibly grateful”.
“I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me,” he said. “And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all.”
Echoing the words of his father, he said: “I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.”
And as King Charles III did in his first televised statement to the nation on Friday, the Prince also spoke of love.
“My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love,” he said.
“All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen. I will honour her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can.”