Prince Harry has spoken out about the passing of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, last week at the age of 96.
The Duke of Sussex released a public statement today about the death of his beloved "Granny" that has left many online deeply moved.
The statement spoke lovingly of the late Queen, underlining the role she played in both Prince Harry's life and in the United Kingdom as a whole.
\u201cStatement from Prince Harry\u201d— Richard Palmer (@Richard Palmer) 1662971508
Prince Harry began his statement by speaking to the British people and all others across the world who may be mourning the end of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, calling her a "guiding compass."
“In celebrating the life of my grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen — and in mourning her loss — we are all reminded of the guiding compass she was to so many."
"She was globally admired and respected. Her unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout her life and now her everlasting legacy."
The Duke then addressed his grandmother directly, expressing his gratitude for the role she played in his life and those of his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children.
“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..."
"Thank you for your commitment to service."
"Thank you for your sound advice."
"Thank you for your infectious smile."
On Twitter, many were moved by Prince Harry's tribute to his grandmother.
\u201cSuch a touching statement from Prince Harry. He was the Queen\u2019s favorite for a reason.\u201d— Vee \ud83c\udf99 Sussex Set Podcast (@Vee \ud83c\udf99 Sussex Set Podcast) 1662985997
\u201cHarry's lovely tribute as he released a statement of love and admiration for his granny, who was also his commander in chief. Beautiful. #PrinceHarry #HarryandMegan #QueenElizabethII\u201d— HarryMeghanTrueForces4Change (@HarryMeghanTrueForces4Change) 1662978806
\u201c@enews @Fran_Neena20409 Aww, he so loves his grandmother \u2665\ufe0f\u201d— E! News (@E! News) 1662993032
\u201c@JordonLee @EvaEvansshine2 Well said by Prince Harry.\u201d— Jordon-Lee (@Jordon-Lee) 1662972075
\u201cA statement from Prince Harry about the death of his Granny, and his former commander in chief when he served in the army. He once described to me how much it meant to him to serve with her as \u201cthe boss\u201d\u201d— Rhiannon Mills (@Rhiannon Mills) 1662971503
\u201cHarry\u2019s statements for granny and grandpa are touching.\u201d— FaRah (@FaRah) 1662994707
\u201cHarry's statement is so warm and tender. His emotional intelligence is highlighted in this tribute to his grandmother.\u201d— Agathe de Lili (@Agathe de Lili) 1662996927
\u201cOh Harry, my heart \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— Miss Clarke (@Miss Clarke) 1662984139
\u201c@RoyalReporter @fanatic_royal This is actually quite touching\u201d— Richard Palmer (@Richard Palmer) 1662971508
\u201c@ABC Loving words expressed by Harry to his grandma. As the Queen said in a speech, We all make difficult life decisions\u2026. Harry made his decision about doing what he felt was best for his young, growing family. Let him be! William & Harry are brothers 4ever \u267e\u267e\u201d— ABC News (@ABC News) 1662973143
Despite their very public break from many aspects of Royal Family life, both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have spoken openly about the close relationship they shared with Queen Elizabeth, which continued even after Prince Harry's father, King Charles III, stopped taking their calls after they stepped away from their royal duties.