Prince Edward paid a touching tribute to his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth during a royal engagement in Scotland.
The Duke of Edinburgh said the outpouring of support following Elizabeth’s death was “overwhelming”.
He added that the death of his father, Prince Philip, just the previous year, made his mother’s passing “far more emotional”.
The late monarch passed away in September 2022 at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, bringing an end to a 70-year reign and sparking tributes and memorials across the country.
Edward made the comments when he deputised for his brother, King Charles, as Lord High Commissioner at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on Saturday, where he welcomed the newly elected Moderator, Reverend Dr Shaw James Paterson.
As he addressed the Edinburgh assembly, the duke spoke of the support he received following the death of his mother from royal chaplains.
He said: “For my own part, I just want to pay personal tribute to the chaplains of the Chapels Royal and especially those here in Scotland. There have been moments recently where I have been lucky to have sensed God’s care and love.
“And who could forget the scenes that followed the passing of my mother? The outpouring of emotions, the demonstration of respect, love, and grief was overwhelming and a privilege to experience and behold.
“I think I can speak for my whole family when I say we will remain forever grateful for that support.”
The Duke of Edinburgh, flanked by First Minister John Swinney and Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, said he was “really touched and comforted” by how chaplains helped the royal family “behind closed doors and away from the public gaze and the scrutiny”.
Edward stated: “I know it’s part of the job description, so perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised, yet it not’s necessarily what they did, it’s how they did it.
“Here were centuries of tradition, of rituals long practised, of prayer, of care and of comfort.”
Edward also congratulated Dr Paterson on his appointment as Moderator for the next 12 months – replacing the Right Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton – joking about the similarities between the life of a child of a minister, with that of a child of the royal family.
“Growing up in the family of a minister is never easy; having to come to terms with sharing one or both of your parents with the wider parish family,” he said.
“And believe me, I can empathise.”
