Prince Harryis mourning the loss of his grandfather,Prince Philip.
On Monday, the Duke of Sussex shared a personal statement following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, saying, “My grandfather was a man of service, honour and great humour. He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm—and also because you never knew what he might say next.
“He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke. But to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ‘til the end.
Harry concluded his statement with the Royal Marines motto, “Per Mare, Per Terram,” which translates to, “By Sea, By Land.”
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The Duke of Edinburgh “passed away peacefully” on Friday at Windsor Castle. He had recently been in the hospital where he was being treated for an infection and underwent a heart procedure.
Prince Philip, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.ADRIAN DENNIS/Getty Images
Harry’s statement follows his brotherPrince William’s tribute to their grandfatheron Monday. The Duke of Cambridge shared a never-before-seen photo of his son Prince George riding in a carriage with Prince Philip in 2015.
“I will never take for granted the special memories my children will always have of their great-grandpa coming to collect them in his carriage,” William shared.
Prince Philip and Prince George in 2015.The Duchess of Cambridge
It marks the first time Harry has been in his home country in over a year. It is also the first time he will see members of the Royal Family since his and Meghan’sinterview with Oprah Winfreyaired last month.
Prince Harry, 36, has always been very close with his grandfather. They were often seen smiling and laughing while on royal outings together. Philip also played a crucial role inPrince WilliamandPrince Harry’s lives after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.
InThe Diana Chronicles, author Tina Brown wrote, “A member of the Balmoral staff noted thatPrince Philip, who had effectively lost his own mother at the age of ten when she was committed for three years to an asylum in Switzerland, was brilliantly effective with his grandsons, offering them gruff tenderness and outdoor activities like stalking and hiking to tire them out.”
Prince Harry and Prince Philip.EDDIE MULHOLLAND/POOL/AFP via Getty
Although he retired from public duty in 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh was in attendance for many important family milestones. He attended Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding in May 2018. He was also present for ahistoric family photoafter the birth of the couple’s first child, Archie.
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Most recently, he celebrated the news that Harry and Meghan announced that they are expecting their second child.
The funeral will be at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle at 10 a.m. ET (3 p.m. U.K. time) and will be broadcast live.
source: people.com
