In photo by 2012, from left to right, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William.| Photo: Andy Rain/EFE/EPA
Prince William, heir to the British throne, issued an emotional message this Saturday in memory of of his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and assured, “I will honor his memory by supporting my father the King in any way I can.” This is the first public statement by the Prince of Wales since the sovereign’s death, at 89 years ago, on Thursday, at the Scottish castle of Balmoral, and after his father was officially proclaimed king Charles III, this Saturday.
In the message, William comments that with the death of Elizabeth II, the world “lost an extraordinary leader”, but he was left without his “grandmother”, although he is grateful to have enjoyed her support and advice for many years. “Much will be said in the coming days about the significance of his historic reign. I, however, have lost a grandmother,” declared William, 40 years old. He, who was already Duke of Cambridge, went on to accumulate other titles by becoming the first in line to the British throne: in addition to Prince of Wales, he also became Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay and Earl of Chester.
The prince thanked him for having contact with his support and wisdom until his “fifth decade”, while his wife “had 13 years of guidance and support ” and her three children enjoyed a vacation with her they will remember for a lifetime. “She was by my side in the happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life. I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without my grandma seems true”, he said.
William also thanked on behalf of his generation for the example that his grandmother set of “service and dignity in public life, of another time, but always relevant to everyone”. “My grandmother used to say that pain is the price we pay for love. All the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be a testament to the love we all feel for our extraordinary queen”, he commented, before promising to honor his grandmother by supporting his father.
Receive Our News
Newsletter On the cellphone
Get our newsletters
By registering for our newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, including receiving content and promotions from Gazeta do Povo. Unsubscribing can be done at any time at this link.
