Queen Elizabeth II feels a 'great emptiness' over the death of Prince Philip

04/11/2021 12:24

• Clarín.com

• Society

Updated 04/11/2021 12:24

Queen Elizabeth II said she felt "a great emptiness in her life" after the death last Friday of her husband, Prince Felipe, at the age of 99, her son, Prince Andrew, said today.

"She describes it as a great void in her life,"

Andrés told British media questions at the end of a mass in honor of the late Duke of Edinburgh.

The third child of the couple also said that they feel they have "almost lost the nation's grandfather" and that he is "very sorry and supportive" with his mother, "who is probably feeling it more than everyone else," according to the agency. AFP news.

Andrés, 61, often considered the preferred son of Elizabeth II, left the royal family in 2019 over his friendship with the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein, accused of sexual exploitation of minors.

An American, Virginia Roberts, claims that she was forced to have sex with the prince when she was a minor and was under Epstein's control.

Her brother, Prince Edward, for his part described

"a terrible shock"

and said that "they were still" "trying to take it in, it's very, very sad."

Prince Philip, married to the queen for 73 years, died two months before his 100th birthday at Windsor Castle on Friday.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in a 2014 file photo. AP Photo

This Saturday, the heir to the crown Carlos, 72, father of princes Guillermo and Enrique, paid tribute to his father, declaring that his family misses him "enormously" and highlighting his "service" to the queen, to the family and country.

Prince Henry said he

will travel to London for his grandfather's funeral

next Saturday.

His attendance encourages hope for a family reconciliation after Charles of England's youngest son moved to the United States.

A year after the surprising departure of Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, who offered a controversial interview on American TV a month ago, the funeral could be an opportunity to strengthen ties and heal wounds, according to the British press.

The funeral will be held on Saturday at Windsor Castle, west of London and will be restricted to the family circle due to the pandemic.

Only 30 people can attend it, including the four children of Felipe and Isabel II (Carlos, Ana, Andrés and Eduardo), their partners and their children.

Enrique will travel from California, but his wife will not accompany him, as his doctor advised him not to because she is pregnant with their second child, according to Buckingham Palace.

It will be the great return of the youngest son of Carlos and Diana since the controversial interview he gave with his wife to the American presenter Oprah Winfrey on March 7, in which he accused the monarchy of not having supported his wife, who, for for his part, he mentioned that he had even had suicidal thoughts.

Both assured that a member of the royal family had behaved in a racist way when wondering about the skin color of their son, but off-camera they specified that it was neither the queen nor her husband.

Enrique, 36, also declared himself "truly disappointed" by his father's lack of support and revealed that he had become estranged from his brother, Guillermo.

Since he retired from the royal family, more than a year ago, the youngest of the brothers has not set foot in the United Kingdom again.

With information from agencies.

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