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Prince William, now known as the Prince of Wales, has issued an extraordinarily personal tribute to his “grannie.”
In a moving statement that appeared to refer to the queen’s support for him when his mother Princess Diana died, William said: “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.”
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Shortly after the statement was issued, William and Kate Middleton—now the Princess of Wales, and the first person to hold that title since the death of Princess Diana—were due to arrive at Windsor Castle to view floral tributes left there by the public in memory of the queen, who died Thursday aged 96.
William, who recently moved to Windsor in part so that his family could see more of the queen, 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. 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 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.
“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 honor her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can.”
