Prince William Feels 'Lucky' To Have Had 'Extraordinary' Prince Philip’s Presence In His Life

Prince William spoke about how his grandfather, Prince Philip, was always there for him growing up in his touching tribute for the late royal.

On Monday, Prince William released a statement on Twitter in which he wrote about how the Duke of Edinburgh, who passed Friday at age 99, touched his life. Like younger brother Prince Harry, the Duke of Cambridge praised their grandfather for his service.

"My grandfather's century of life was defined by service — to his country and Commonwealth, to his wife and Queen, and to our family," Prince William wrote.

The second in line to the throne also revisited how his grandfather guided him, treated his wife Kate Middleton kindly and shared his adventures with his three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

"I feel lucky to have not just had his example to guide me, but his enduring presence well into my own adult life — both through good times and the hardest days," Prince William wrote.

"I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her. I will never take for granted the special memories my children will always have of their great-grandpa coming to collect them in his carriage and seeing for themselves his infectious sense of adventure as well as his mischievous sense of humor!" he continued.

Prince William went on to describe his grandfather as an "extraordinary man" who was "part of an extraordinary generation."

"Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support The Queen in the years ahead. I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job," he concluded his statement.

Prince William accompanied the post with an adorable photo of his eldest son, Prince George, sitting beside Prince Philip in a carriage. In the image, Prince Philip is smiling at the camera, while the little prince is beaming while looking away with a book on his hands.

Meanwhile, Prince William and Middleton were supposed to attend the 74th BAFTA Awards over the weekend, with the Duke of Cambridge being the current president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. However, they decided to skip the event this year following Prince Philip's passing.

During the ceremony, Clara Amfo and Edith Bowman, who co-hosted on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, paid tribute to Prince Philip, who was the first-ever president of the BAFTA.

"The Duke of Edinburgh occupies a very special place in BAFTA history. He will be missed. Our thoughts are with the royal family," Amfo said.