Prince Harry, Duchess Meghan share poignant tribute to Prince Philip; more royals mourn his death

Philip Mountbatten was born Prince of Greece and Denmark. See what he gave up for Queen Elizabeth and what he gave the world. USA TODAY

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan shared a touching tribute to Prince Philip, who died Friday at 99.

Buckingham Palace said the Duke of Edinburgh “passed away peacefully” at Windsor Castle.  

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex posted a message remembering Harry’s grandfather on their Archewell website in “loving memory” of the late royal.

A short tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh encapsulating the website reads: “Thank you for your service … you will be greatly missed.”

Philip’s death comes as a personal loss to the monarch and to his family, and a substantial one as the husband of Queen Elizabeth II and Britain’s oldest and longest-serving royal spouse in 10 centuries. 

More: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, dies at 99

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, show their new son to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle, May 8, 2019.

 (Photo: Chris Allerton/Sussexroyal via AP)

Who is Prince Philip and why was he not a king? What to know about Queen Elizabeth II’s late husband

Prince Philip dies at 99: Boris Johnson, the Bidens, Piers Morgan mourn the Duke of Edinburgh

The working members of the royal family including Prince William and Duchess Kate uniformly updated their social media accounts to mourn Philip’s death. The family members changed their profile photos to reflect their varying crests and posted a black and white portrait of Prince Philip with the same information disclosed in the Buckingham Palace announcement. 

Harry and Meghan’s tribute comes a month after their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they opened up about the reasons for stepping back from royal duties and moving to America last year in search of more independence and privacy. 

More: Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan to give up ‘Sussex Royal’ brand

Their tribute differed from the social media posts from the rest of the royal family: After last year, the couple no longer uses the “Sussex Royal” brand including the Sussex royal social media account. Harry’s alarm about the harms of social media has grown in recent years after what he and Meghan considered racist and intrusive coverage in the British media.

“We will revisit social media when it feels right for us – perhaps when we see more meaningful commitments to change or reform – but right now we’ve thrown much of our energy into learning about this space and how we can help,” the Duke of Sussex said in an interview with Fast Company.

Prince Philip has died: Will there be a state funeral? Your questions, answered

The College of Arms, the body that oversees ceremonial protocol, said Friday that the duke’s body will lie at rest in Windsor Castle, where he spent his final weeks with the queen. His funeral will be held in St. George’s Chapel at the castle, the site of centuries of royal burials — and royal weddings, including the 2018 union of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

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