Prince William is getting candid about the loss of his grandfather, Prince Philip.
Last week, the British royal family announced that Philip had passed away at the age of 99. And on Monday, William shared a personal statement in honor of the Duke of Edinburgh on Instagram. The throwback post featured a sweet snap of his grandfather and his oldest child, Prince George, riding in a carriage and smiling at the camera. And according to the caption, Kate Middleton took the photograph herself.
“My grandfather’s century of life was defined by service—to his country and Commonwealth, to his wife and Queen, and to our family,” William captioned the post.
“I feel lucky to have not just had his example to guide me, but his enduring presence well into my own adult life—both through good times and the hardest days. I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her. 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 and seeing for themselves his infectious sense of adventure as well as his mischievous sense of humour!”
“My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation. Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support The Queen in the years ahead. I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job.”
Shortly after the news broke on Friday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge paid tribute to the late royal by making a major change to their Twitter account. In addition to sharing the queen’s initial announcement, the couple also changed their main photo to one of Prince Philip.
If you want to send love to Will and the rest of the gang, the royal family is accepting messages of condolence with a special form on their official website.
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