Prince William has offered condolences after the tragic New Orleans attack on January 1st, which killed 15 people, including a man linked to the British royal family.
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Edward Pettifer, the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who formerly served as nanny to Prince William and Prince Harry, tragically lost his life due to “blunt force injuries.” The incident occurred when 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, according to a statement released by the Metropolitan Police.
Per the UK newspaper The Sun, the 31-year-old from Chelsea, West London, was visiting Louisiana with a friend.
Legge-Bourke, 59, married Edward’s father, former Coldstream Guards officer Charles Pettifer, in 1999. She previously served as a nanny to William, now 41, and Harry, now 40, during the years following the separation of King Charles and Princess Diana, from 1993 to 1999.
Legge-Bourke shared a close bond with the brothers that endures to this day. Both attended her wedding while she was a guest at theirs—William’s in 2011 and Harry’s in 2018. She also holds a special place in their family as godmother to Harry and Meghan Markle’s son, Prince Archie.
Prince William ‘Shocked and Saddened’ Following ‘Horrific Attack’
Prince William took to his Instagram Stories following the news of Ed Pettifer’s death.
“Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer,” he wrote. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.”
Meanwhile, Edward’s family released a statement shared by police.
“The entire family is devastated at the tragic news of Edward‘s death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew, and a friend to so many,” they wrote.
“We will all miss him terribly,” the family continued. “Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you.”
Authorities have confirmed that Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, drove a Ford pickup truck down Bourbon Street at approximately 3:15 a.m. local time, according to initial reports. The New Orleans Police Department later stated that Jabbar was fatally shot during a confrontation with officers at the scene.