Prince William has described the Queen as an 'extraordinary leader' in a moving personal tribute to his 'Grannie'. Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral on Thursday (September 8), aged 96..
William has since been named Prince of Wales, the role his father Charles III served until becoming King this week. In a statement issued this afternoon (Saturday), Prince William says the Queen had been 'by his side' at both the happiest and saddest moments.
The 40-year-old thanked the Queen for her service and promised to 'honour her memory'. He said: "On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute.
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"So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign. I, however, have lost a grandmother. And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful.
“I have had the benefit of The Queen’s wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade. My wife has had 20 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.
“She was by my side at my 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 Grannie will truly feel real.
“I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. 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.
“My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. 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.”
It has been a day of mixed emotions for the Royal Family today, with members of the family thanking well wishers for their support at Balmoral this evening. A sombre declaration in the Accession Council for King Charles III this morning was later followed by cheers and pomp in the proclamations held in London.
The King confirmed a bank holiday will be held on the day of his mother's funeral, with a date still to be announced.
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