Wit and barbecuing skills remembered
LONDON: Princes William and Harry have paid tribute to their grandfather Prince Philip, remembering his wit, sense of duty and barbecue skills.
The brothers issued separate statements amid a family rift that led to Prince Harry’s decision to step away from royal duties last year and some have speculated their grandfather’s funeral may offer an opportunity for them to talk over their differences.
Prince Philip, who had been married to Queen Elizabeth for more than seven decades, died last week aged 99.
Prince William honoured the duke’s lifetime of service to the Queen and the United Kingdom as he remembered his grandfather’s ‘‘mischievous sense of humour’’.
‘‘My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation,’’ he said.
‘‘Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support the Queen in the years ahead. I will miss my Grandpa but I know he would want us to get on with the job.’’
Prince Harry, who stepped away from royal duties last year and now lives in the US, has arrived in the UK to attend the duke’s funeral service, which will take place on Saturday at Windsor Castle.
His wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is pregnant and will not attend. Prince Harry’s statement described the duke as a man who was ‘‘authentically himself’’.
‘‘He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a prince and a duke,’’ the prince said.
‘‘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.’’
Prince William and his wife also released a picture of the duke sitting in a carriage with his greatgrandson Prince George, their oldest child.