Prince William has written an honest and moving tribute to his grandmother, the Queen.
The letter, which serves as the preface to the upcoming book Elizabeth II: The Steadfast, that is being published ahead of September 9, when the Queen will become the longest reigning monarch.
William praises his grandmother’s “kindness and sense of humor” and love for her family and her home.
“From a personal point of view, I am privileged to witness the private side of the Queen, as a grandmother and a great-grandmother,” he writes.
“The Queen’s kindness and sense of humor, her innate sense of calm and perspective, and her love of family and home are all attributes I experience first-hand.”
Here are some of our favourite pictures of William and his grandmother, captioned with quotes from his touching tribute.
“Over the last ninety years, the world has changed more rapidly than at any time in history. When my grandmother The Queen was born in 1926, the wounds of the Great War were still healing, but few would imagine how soon they would be reopened,” writes Prince William.
“After almost ninety years, we find ourselves in a world that has changed dramatically, almost beyond recognition to the world that The Queen was born into, but where the role of charity, family, duty and compassion perseveres.”
“I think I speak for my generation when I say that the example and continuity provided by The Queen is not only very rare among leaders but a great source of pride and reassurance. Time and again, quietly and modestly, The Queen has shown us all that we can confidently embrace the future without compromising the things that are important.”
“From a personal point of view, I am privileged to witness the private side of The Queen, as a grandmother and great-grandmother. The Queen’s kindness and sense of humour, her innate sense of calm and perspective, and her love of family and home are all attributes I experience first-hand.
“All of us who will inherit the legacy of my grandmother’s reign and generation need to do all we can to celebrate and learn from her story. Speaking for myself, I am privileged to have The Queen as a model for a life of service to the public.”
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