Prince Charles said he missed his “dear Papa” and thanked well-wishers for their continued support during the royal’s first appearance since the death of his father, Prince Philip.
The Duke of Edinburgh, 99, died peacefully Friday at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace announced Friday.
“I particularly wanted to say that my father, for I suppose the last 70 years, has given the most remarkable, devoted service to the Queen, to my family and to the country, but also to the whole of the Commonwealth,” Charles said during the beginning of his brief appearance. “And, as you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously.”
“He was a much loved and appreciated figure,” the Prince of Wales continued. “Apart from anything else, I can imagine, he’d be so deeply touched by the number of other people here and elsewhere around the world and the Commonwealth, who also ― I think ― share our loss and our sorrow.”
“My dear Papa was a very special person, who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him. From that point of view we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that,” Charles added. “It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time. Thank you.”
Buckingham Palace announced final arrangements for the late Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday, revealing that the prince’s funeral will take place next Saturday in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The palace said that the duke, who was intimately involved in his own funeral planning, even helped to modify the design of the “purpose built” Land Rover that will carry his coffin.
Separately, a spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost on Saturday that Prince Harry, who lives in Montecito, California, will travel to attend Philip’s funeral.
Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child, a girl, will not be able to attend the funeral on the advice of her physician.
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