LONDON — Prince Philip would want the royal family to “get on with the job,” his grandson Prince William said on Monday.
In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, William paid tribute to Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, who died on Friday.
“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 said. Philip passed away just a few months shy of his 100th birthday.
“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,” he added.
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“My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation,” William said. “I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job.”
William, who is second-in-line to the British throne, also said that he will always be grateful that his wife, Kate, had so many years to get to know his grandfather.
William’s statement comes as his brother, Prince Harry, reportedly arrived in the U.K. to attend Philip’s funeral, scheduled for Saturday.
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Their reunion will be closely watched after his and his wife Meghan’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey that sparked the biggest crisis in decades for the British monarchy.
The interview exposed a raft of allegations about their lives before and after they split with the royal family last month, which has prompted accusations of racism within the royal family. After the interview, Prince William publicly denied the royal family was racist.
Harry and Meghan moved to the United States after stepping back from royal duties last year.
Meghan will not be attending Philip’s funeral after her physician advised her not to travel, according to Buckingham Palace officials.
The two brothers have reportedly grown apart in recent years, exacerbated by Harry and Meghan separating from William and Kate’s Royal Foundation charity and eventually stepping back as “senior” members of the royal family.
Rumors of a rift between Harry and William, who were once very close, surfaced in the summer of 2019. In June that year, Harry and Meghan confirmed that they were separating from William and Kate’s Royal Foundation charity to start their own initiative, Sussex Royal.
Harry appeared to confirm the distance between the brothers in the interview with journalist Tom Bradby in Africa last year when he said that he and William were on “different paths.”
In last month’s interview with Oprah, Harry said his relationship with his brother was “space” at the moment, but he hoped that “time heals all things.”
Former U.K. Prime Minister John Major said Sunday Philip’s funeral and shared grief was an “ideal opportunity” to mend any rifts that may exist between the royal family and Prince Harry.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
