British royal brothers William and Harry have praised their grandfather Prince Philip, paying tribute to what they said was his humour and kindness to others.
William, the Duke of Cambridge, described his grandfather as an “extraordinary man” while Harry, the Duke of Sussex, said he was “a rock for Her Majesty the Queen with unparalleled devotion”.
The brothers are the first of Philip’s grandchildren to publicly honour his memory, and Harry light-heartedly summed him up as “master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right till the end”.
I know that right now he would say to all of us, beer in hand, ‘Oh do get on with it!’
In a statement issued through his foundation Archewell, Harry said: “My grandfather was a man of service, honour and great humour. He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm—and also because you never knew what he might say next.
“He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke. But to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ‘til the end.
“He has been a rock for Her Majesty The Queen with unparalleled devotion, by her side for 73 years of marriage, and while I could go on, I know that right now he would say to all of us, beer in hand, ‘Oh do get on with it!’
“So, on that note, Grandpa, thank you for your service, your dedication to Granny, and for always being yourself. You will be sorely missed, but always remembered—by the nation and the world. Meghan, Archie, and I (as well as your future great-granddaughter) will always hold a special place for you in our hearts.”
"My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation."
A message from The Duke of Cambridge following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh: https://t.co/lVCSPrG7uG pic.twitter.com/atiB8djxPOAdvertisement— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 12, 2021
Meanwhile, William spoke candidly about Philip’s relationship with Kate and expressed his gratitude for the “kindness he showed her”.
He also highlighted the special bond between the duke and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who would have “special memories” of being picked up in a horse-drawn carriage by their “great-grandpa”.
William pledged to uphold his grandfather’s wishes and continue, along with wife Kate, to support the Queen and “get on with the job”.
Over the weekend Philip’s four children spoke about the loss of their father and how Britain's Queen was coping after her husband of 73 years died peacefully on Friday.
