Prince Harry Releases Touching Statement Following The Death Of His 'Granny,' Queen Elizabeth
The Queen’s grandson celebrated her life of service and recalled their "special moments" together.
Following a weekend of transitions for the royal family, Prince Harry released a statement on the death of his beloved “granny” Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96, celebrating her life and years of service while also recounting their special times together.
In an in memoriam posted on Archewell’s website Monday, Harry, 37, remembered his grandmother as a “guiding compass” and shared her own words to mourn her death: “Life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings.”
He continued, “Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings — from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren. I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over. And as it comes to first meetings, we now honor my father in his new role as King Charles III.”
“Thank you for your commitment to service. Thank you for your sound advice. Thank you for your infectious smile,” he added. “We, too, smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace.”
The Queen’s husband of over 70 years, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died last year at the age of 99.
The royal family stands on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to view a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF) on July 10, 2018 in London, England.
Harry’s words come days after the Queen passed “peacefully” at her home Balmoral in Scotland on Thursday. Members of the royal family rushed to be at her side before her death, including Harry, who was already in the U.K. to attend various charity events.
On Saturday, Harry and his brother, Prince William — now heir to the throne — stepped out with their wives Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, to view tributes to the Queen outside Windsor Castle. The foursome, who have reportedly been estranged following Harry and Meghan’s decision to rescind their royal duties and move to the States, wore black as they met and mourned with members of the public.
During one touching exchange, 14-year-old Amelka Zak embraced Harry’s wife Meghan to show her that she is always “welcome” in the U.K. amid their exit from royal life. The moment was captured by photographers and TikTok user Isabelle Charters.
"We were just waiting for her to come, and she came near me and asked my name and how my day was, how long I was waiting," Zak told CNN of her chat with the Duchess of Sussex. "And I asked her if I could have a hug, and she hugged me back. It was quite an amazing moment. I'm still shaking now."
Harry and Meghan’s spokesperson confirmed that they will remain overseas as funeral services take place for the Queen over the next few weeks.
On top of their public outing with William and Kate, Harry’s father, now King Charles III, wished his son and Meghan well in his ascension speech on Friday amid the rumored rift between them. (One can not simply forget about Harry and Meghan’s eye-opening interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.)
“With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given,” Charles said of William and Kate before adding. “I want also to express my love to Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”
Here’s hoping the royal family can mend their relationship in this time of sorrow, and hopefully respect each other’s wishes and well-being in the future.
