Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, Prince William, and other members
of the royal family joined together to welcome the queen's coffin to Buckingham Palace. This
procession happened ahead of the queen's state funeral, which took place on September 19th.
The Duke of Cambridge, who is now also Prince of Wales, viewed floral tributes left for his
grandmother outside of the Sandringham. He later took some time to chat with members
of the public in the queue to see the queen lying in state. During the last few days,
William has continued to receive praise from the public for these acts. As one Twitter user wrote:
"It's heartening to see Prince William gather strength and good cheer from the people."
Another royal fan tweeted:
"What courage and strength of character Prince William has shown since his grandmother's death."
Nevertheless, many people will be reminded that, during this time, William and his family are in
mourning along with the rest of the world. On September 17th, Prince William, Prince Harry,
and six of their cousins stood vigil over the queen's coffin as she lay in state in
Westminster Hall. While Harry stood at the foot of the coffin, William stood tall at the head,
paying his respects to the one he so fondly called "grannie." And if there were any doubts
as to how heartbroken William has been since the queen's passing, his face at the vigil was
all the proof needed. Alongside a photograph of William at the vigil, one Twitter user wrote:
"Grief is the price we pay for love."
Another said:
"Such a moving photo of the Prince of Wales. You can see the grief etched on his face!"
On September 10th, Prince William shared a personal Instagram tribute to the queen,
calling her "an extraordinary leader" who remained absolutely committed to
her role as head of state of the U.K. and its realms. William added:
"I, however, have lost a grandmother. And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly
grateful. I have had the benefit of the queen's wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade."
The Prince of Wales finished up his tribute by reflecting on the queen's
relationship with his wife, Catherine, and their three children, Prince George,
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. He wrote:
"I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality
of life without Grannie will truly feel real."
Queen Elizabeth II was largely loved by the public and members of the royal family, and
there can be little doubt that much love existed between the queen and her grandson. Following the
death of his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997, William looked to the monarch for both motherly
love and guidance as a future king. In an ITV documentary, William once said of his grandmother:
"Growing up, having this figurehead, having this stability above me has
been incredible. I have been able to explore, understand,
slightly carve my own path. I greatly appreciate and value that protection."
"She believes in finding your own path,
but with very good examples and guidance around you, to support you."
The queen was also very fond of William, sharing several sweet moments with him in public,
and many more behind closed doors. Historian Robert Lacey told People magazine in 2017:
"When William became a teenager, she would have him at Windsor Castle and would open the state
boxes and guide him through the papers. It was William's constitutional education."
Of course, outside of their professional relationship, William and the queen also had
a personal relationship, one in which she offered him required support and guidance
in his relationship with his wife. As royal biographer Andrew Morton told OK! Magazine:
"She spends a lot more time supporting and nurturing the relationship between
William and Catherine than she did with Charles and Diana."
Evidently, Prince William greatly felt the loss
of the queen in recent days — perhaps more than anybody else.