The Diplomat
The King and Queen sent a telegram of condolences on behalf of themselves and the Spanish Government to Queen Elizabeth II of England yesterday on the death of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the age of 99.
In the telegram, Don Felipe and Doña Letizia address “dear Aunt Lilibet”, the affectionate nickname by which the British royal family calls the monarch, and convey their “deep sadness” at the death of “our dear Uncle Philip”, as well as their “closeness and support” at this “painful time”.
In the telegram, according to sources at the King’s Household, they add: “We will never forget the occasions we were able to share with him, nor the legacy of service and dedication to the Crown and the United Kingdom that he always carried out at your side. Our thoughts and prayers are with Your Majesty and the whole family. With all our love and affection.
The Spanish Royal Family had a close relationship with the Duke of Edinburgh because of the link between the two royal houses and because of his kinship with Queen Sofia, to whom he was a second uncle, and, somewhat more distantly, with King Juan Carlos. The last occasion on which the Duke of Edinburgh had contact with the Spanish Royal Family was on the occasion of Felipe VI and Queen Letizia’s state visit to the United Kingdom in July 2017.
For his part, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, also sent a message of condolences to the British Royal Family after learning of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh: “I send my condolences and those of the Government to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, to the entire Royal Family and to the British Government,” said Sánchez.
