The Prince of Wales delivered a sentimental statement to reporters on Saturday after the death of his father.
Prince Charles is missing his "dear papa," Prince Philip.
The 72-year-old Prince of Wales shared a sentimental message on behalf of the royal family after the death of his father. The Duke of Edinburgh died on Friday at the age of 99.
"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," a somber Charles told reporters on Saturday. "As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously."
"He was a much loved and appreciated figure and apart from anything else, I can imagine, he would 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," he continued. "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 and from that point of view we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that."
"It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time. Thank you," he concluded.
Charles visited his father while he was at King Edward VII hospital in February, after Philip was admitted to the hospital as "a precautionary measure" on the advice of his doctor after not feeling well. Philip was released in March and returned home to be with Queen Elizabeth II.
On Saturday, Buckingham Palace announced that Philip's funeral will take place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor on Saturday, April 17 at 3 p.m. The service will be preceded by a Ceremonial Procession inside the grounds of Windsor Castle. The royal family will observe two weeks of Royal Mourning, that started on Friday. Prince William also canceled his BAFTAs appearance on Saturday following his grandfather's death.
ET confirmed that Prince Harry, who is in California, will fly to the U.K. to attend the funeral. Meghan Markle, who is pregnant with their second child, did not receive medical clearance from her physician to travel.
Philip didn't want an elaborate state funeral, instead asked for a more intimate affair during his final days. Before his death, he had a hand in making his own funeral plans, per Omid Scobie, co-author of Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family.
"A state funeral is what Prince Philip is entitled to as the queen's consort, and it would be a day of mourning for the country but would involve heads of state from around the world being invited to congregate at Westminster Abbey to remember his life," Scobie told ET on Friday. "It is something that we last saw with Princess Diana's funeral, the whole world stood still for that moment. With Prince Philip, he has asked for a much more quieter event. He has asked, in his words, a simple affair and that is exactly what is happening at the ceremonial service that will take place at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle."
"This will really give a chance for the royals to remember his life in a very peaceful and quiet way. It also avoids the worries that the government have over people congregating during the time of the pandemic," he continued. "For Prince Philip, this is exactly what he wanted. It's a send-off that he had asked for."
Per the royal expert, the late royal "wanted it to be a simple affair, simply focused on the loved ones, the friends, and the family that were gathered there for that final moment, and that says a lot about his character."
For more on Philip and his legacy, watch below.
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