Prince Philip’s son, Prince Andrew, speaks out about his death, says Queen Elizabeth II left with ‘huge void’

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Queen Elizabeth II has been left with a “huge void” in her life in the wake of the death of her husband, Prince Philip, according to their son, Prince Andrew.

Andrew, the third of the couple’s four children, spoke as well-wishers arrived to leave floral tributes outside the gates of the royal residence in memory of the monarch’s late husband. The royal family member attended church at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor along with other members of the family, two days after the 99-year-old Philip died at Windsor Castle.

Andrew said his mother “described it as having left a huge void in her life.”

“We’ve lost, almost, the grandfather of the nation,” he said. “And I feel very sorry and supportive of my mother, who’s feeling it probably more than everybody else.”

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His younger brother, Prince Edward, called Philip’s death a “dreadful shock” but said the 94-year-old queen was “bearing up.” Edward’s wife, Sophie, said the monarch was “thinking of others before herself.”

Prince Andrew spoke out about how his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, is doing following the death of her husband, Prince Philip, at age 99.

Prince Andrew spoke out about how his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, is doing following the death of her husband, Prince Philip, at age 99.
(AP Photo/Sang Tan, File)

Edward, 57, added that the “extraordinary” tributes meant a lot to the royal family.

“It just goes to show, he might have been our father, grandfather, father-in-law, but he meant so much to so many other people,” he said.

Both palace and government officials urged people not to come in person to pay their respects because of coronavirus restrictions on social gatherings. However, hundreds of people brought notes, cards and flowers to the gates of Windsor Castle, located 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of London, on Sunday while others laid tributes outside Buckingham Palace in the British capital.

Neil Loughton, founder of the Penny Farthing Club, rode his antique bicycle to the palace gates to pay his respects.

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“I think that there are some things that are just important and need to be done. Ninety-nine years of life and more than 70 years of service deserves some recognition,” he said.

Philip’s funeral is set to take place April 17 at Windsor Castle. Only 30 people will be able to attend under the current coronavirus restrictions in England, but the slimmed-down service is scheduled to be broadcast live on television.

Philip’s grandson Prince Harry, who stepped away from royal duties last year and now lives in California, will attend the service along with other members of the royal family, palace officials have said. His wife, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is pregnant and has been advised by her doctor not to make the journey.

Prince Philip died at age 99. 

Prince Philip died at age 99. 
(AP)

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Royal family members said they appreciated the outpouring of tributes and good wishes from people across Britain and around the world to Philip, who was the queen’s consort and support through more than seven decades of marriage.

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Andrew, 61, who has largely kept out of the public eye since 2019 amid controversy over his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, also praised the “absolutely amazing tributes.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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