Prince William Admits 'Grief' Is 'The Price We Pay For Love' In Tribute To His Grandmother The Queen

Sep 29, 2022 by apost team

On June 21, 1982, Prince William was born to the Prince of Wales and his then-wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, London. As a member of the royal family and the heir apparent to the throne, the young man has been prepared from childhood to assume the royal of sovereign after his father's and grandmother's reigns. 

Queen Elizabeth, who sat on the throne for the majority of his life, was a great sense of direction and strength for William. Both as a royal as well as a grandmother. Namely, after the untimely passing of his mother, Princess Diana, in Paris, France, in 1997, Prince William became increasingly close with his grandmother, the queen.

Partially due to the death of his mother and partially due to his place in the line of succession, Queen Elizabeth and William became very close through the years. It is no surprise that the now-grown William has been especially crushed since her passing in September 2022. The future king wrote a touching tribute on September 10, 2022, posted to his official Instagram about who the queen had been to him. 

For years previous, royal experts have commented on their special relationship. "The queen play(ed) a very special dual role in William's life," commented Katie Nicholl, the author of books such as "The Making of a Royal Romance," in an April 2021 interview with OK! Magazine "She (was) his sovereign, but also a very loving grandmother who wants to prepare him for the future."

According to OK!, the queen began to prepare William for the role of king from a young age, pulling him out of Eton College, his boarding school, every Sunday. At the time, the 13-year-old student would reportedly tell a white lie and say that he was going to the bathroom when, in fact, he would visit Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. OK! further explained that William hid his weekly sessions from his friends because of his modesty. He was preparing to become a king, after all!

"Afterwards, he would have one-on-one time with his grandmother to talk about whatever was on his mind," Nicholl explained. "She was there for him to unload on — but those sessions were also an opportunity for her to mentor and teach him, as her grandfather, George V, did with her."

"They became incredibly close and as his respect for her grew he began to embrace his destiny," Nicholl added. According to OK! and the royal expert, the queen had a strong bond with her grandchildren in part due to the aftermath of their mother's death. 

The queen took special care to look after William and Harry then. "That was one of the few times that the Queen has put family above duty," Nicholl told OK!. "She made a decision to stay in Scotland, at Balmoral, and be there for William and Harry, rather than come back and address a nation in grief. She was heavily criticised, but she felt her grandsons needed her, and that meant a great deal to them."

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William clearly never forgot his grandmother's presence throughout his life, especially during those dark days. While they may be no longer shared afternoons together at Windsor, the two royals remained close, even as William began a family of his own. 

After the queen's death, William posted a statement on September 10, 2022, to his official Instagram, writing, "On Thursday the world lost an extraordinary leader...So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign."

He continued:

"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 … (and Kate) her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives."

Touching perhaps on the queen's support and presence after his mother's accident, William wrote, "She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest day of my life." He continued, "I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me… my grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary queen."

He went on to pledge that he will "honor her memory" as his father, Charles III, is named king and presumably when William himself later takes the throne. Surely, when that day comes, the Prince of Whales will make his grandmother proud. 

What do you think of the special bond between William and Queen Elizabeth? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, and any fellow royalists!