Prince William, second in line to the British throne, hailed his late grandfather Prince Philip for his dutiful service ahead of his funeral on Saturday. William, known as the Duke of Cambridge, said Philip was an extraordinary man whose life had been defined by service, but that he would have wanted members of the royal family to get on with their jobs.
“I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job,” William, 38, said in a statement on Monday. “My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation.”
William said he felt lucky to have had Philip’s example to guide him, and praised his grandfather for showing great kindness to his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
Philip, husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II who had been at her side throughout her 69-year reign, died at Windsor Castle on Friday, aged 99.
Prince Philip’s funeral will be held at Windsor Castle on April 17 at St George’s Chapel:
The Duke of Edinburgh is lying at rest in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle. He will be taken to St George’s Chapel in a specially modified Land Rover which he helped to design before his death.
William’s brother, Prince Harry, returned to the United Kingdom from Los Angeles for his grandfather Prince Philip’s Saturday funeral. Harry, sixth in line to the throne, will quarantine in accordance with coronavirus guidelines so that he can attend the ceremonial funeral at Windsor Castle.
Prince Harry returns to UK ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral:
His wife Meghan, who is pregnant with their second child, will not travel on her doctor’s advice.
The couple left Britain for a new life in the United States after a public rift with the royal family and a falling-out with the tabloid press.
On Monday, Harry praised Philip for his devotion to “granny” Queen Elizabeth II, and described the late duke as a mischievous host who could captivate his guests with unpredictable remarks.
Prince William and Prince Harry pay tribute to their grandfather:
