Grieving takes time. Prince Charles shared a personal note about life without his father, Prince Philip, while sharing a Ramadan message on Monday, May 10.
“This year so many families, like my own, will have an empty seat at their dinner table and friends are no longer able to share the celebratory hug after Eid prayer,” the Prince of Wales, 72, said in the video message, which was posted on the Naz Legacy Foundation’s Twitter account. “I can only say how deeply saddened I am by this tragic situation. My heart goes out to all those who have lost their loved ones.”
The video was shared as part of a virtual celebration presented in the hopes that the Muslim community would stay home to celebrate the festival amid the pandemic.
“This last year I know has been deeply challenging for us all, and I’m only too aware of the impact of the pandemic on the Muslim community,” Charles added. “I just wanted to convey my heartfelt best wishes to all who celebrate this festival, and to tell you just how much my wife and I are thinking of you at this special time of year.”
The Prince of Wales @ClarenceHouse this evening shared a message to Muslims wishing them #EidMubarak as we come to the end of the month of #Ramadan
Young people from @NazLegacy & @britishasiantst joined a virtual #Iftar where the message was shared to those observing the fast. pic.twitter.com/BF41i96OCr
— NazLegacyFoundation (@NazLegacy) May 10, 2021
Prince Philip died at age 99 on April 9. Due to the pandemic, the royal family chose to forgo a traditional state funeral in favor of a more private ceremonial service.
Following the royal patriarch’s death, Charles gave a public address honoring his late father.
“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,” he said on April 10. “As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously. He was a much loved and appreciated figure. Apart from anything else … I’m so deeply touched by the number of other people here and elsewhere around the world and in the Commonwealth who also share our loss and our sorrow.”
During the speech, he referred to Philip as his “dear papa,” noting how grateful the royal family is for their community’s response to his passing.
“It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time,” he added at the time.
Listen to the Royally Us podcast for everything you want to know about our favorite family across the pond.
