Prince Philip’s death has left an empty seat at table, says Charles

THE Prince of Wales has spoken about how his family have “an empty seat at their dinner table” after the death of his father, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Charles made the comment during a video message wishing Muslims an Eid Mubarak ahead of the end of Ramadan.

He said the last year had been “deeply challenging for us all” and he was “only too aware of the impact of the pandemic on the Muslim community”.

Prince Philip, the UK’s longest-serving royal consort, died aged 99 on 9 April.

In a video posted by the Naz Legacy Foundation, a charity promoting education and integration, Prince Charles said: “This year so many families, like my own, will have an empty seat at their dinner table and friends are no longer able to share the celebratory hug after Eid prayer.”

The message was shared with young people from the foundation and the British Asian Trust, who were taking part in a virtual iftar, the evening meal where Muslims break their daily Ramadan fast, on Monday.

The iftar meal is usually shared with family and friends but such gatherings have been restricted during the pandemic.

The end of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast during daylight hours for a month, is marked with a celebration called Eid.