Prince William speaks out on grandmother Queen Elizabeth's death: 'She was by my side during the saddest days of my life'

Prince William is speaking out after the death of Queen Elizabeth — not just as a royal, but as a grieving grandson.

Queen Elizabeth, the monarch of the United Kingdom and head of the Commonwealth, died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Her son is now King Charles, while his wife Camilla Parker Bowles is the queen consort — a title indicating the spouse of the reigning king.

On Saturday, Prince William — the son of King Charles, and next in line for the throne — shared his grief in a statement posted to Twitter from the official Prince and Princess of Wales account. The couple, previously known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was bestowed the new Prince and Princess of Wales titles by King Charles.

“On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute,” he began. “So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign. 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. My wife has had twenty years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives. She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life.”

Prince William, who shares children George, 9, Charlotte, 7, and Louis, 4, with Middleton, added that while he “knew this day would come,” it will take some time for life without his “Grannie” to “truly feel real.”

“I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me,” he shared. “And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all. My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen. I will honour her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can.”

Prince William is not the only member of the royal family to issue a statement on the death of Queen Elizabeth. Shortly after the official news of the monarch’s passing, King Charles shared words on the loss of his mother.

“The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” he wrote in an official statement. “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”