Just days after her sudden passing at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the Prince of Wales finally broke his silence to open up about his grief in an emotional message on Instagram and Twitter Saturday. He first reflected on the connection he and his family had with her throughout her lifetime, saying:

“On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute. So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign. 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 into my fifth decade. My wife has had twenty years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives. She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life.”

Related: Prince Harry ‘Struggling To Come To Terms’ With Queen Elizabeth’s Death

The 40-year-old royal then added how losing Queen Elizabeth still feels so surreal, saying:

“I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.”

Prince William concluded his devastating statement to express his gratitude for everything his grandma has done over the years and to promise to “honour her memory” by standing by his dad, King Charles III, side:

“I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all. My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen. I will honour her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can.”

Beautiful words. You can read his entire message (below):

This is such a touching tribute to the Queen during a time when it undoubtedly must been so hard for William, Princess Catherine AKA Kate Middleton, and their three children. Reactions to the statement, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments.

[Image via WENN]