One of the people killed in the New Orleans attack on January 1 has ties to the royal family. Edward Pettifer, 31, was identified as one of the victims killed after a 42-year-old US Army veteran drove a truck into a crowd of people in New Orleans. According to multiple outlets, Pettifer, a British national, was the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry’s former nanny, Alexandra “Tiggy” Pettifer.
More from CafeMom: Jamie Foxx Says He Had a ‘Five Percent Chance’ of Surviving His 2023 Stroke
Pettifer's family released a statement after his death.
“The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Ed’s death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many,” the statement read. “We will all miss him terribly. 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.”
Alexandra 'Tiggy' Pettifer (née Legge-Bourke) cared for Prince William and Price Harry from 1993 until 1999.
Alexandra Pettifer, also known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke, had been photographed with Princess Diana on multiple occasions, the Associated Press reported.
She also continued to care for Prince William and Prince Harry after Princess Diana’s death. According to The Times, the former nanny for the royal family is Prince Archie’s godmother.
Prince William is 'shocked and saddened' by the news.
After hearing the news about his former nanny’s stepson, Prince William shared a statement on social media. “Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer,” Prince William wrote via his Instagram Stories. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.”
More from CafeMom: California Teacher & Mom-To-Be Dies After Falling 164 Feet During Hiking Trip While on Vacation
King Charles reportedly expressed his condolences as well.
Buckingham Palace sources said that King Charles was “deeply saddened” by the news, per BBC. He has reportedly contacted Pettifer’s family and expressed his condolences. Prince William and Prince Harry continue to have a good relationship with their former nanny, according to The Telegraph.
After Pettifer’s parents separated in the mid-1990s, Tiggy and Pettifer’s father welcomed two children together: Tom, 22, and Fred, 23. Per the news outlet, Tom is Prince William’s godson and Fred is Prince Harry’s godson.
Pettifer was reportedly in New Orleans with another British citizen.
The person Pettifer was with was not killed in the attack, per The Telegraph. At least 14 people were killed, and more than 30 people were injured.
The Associated Press has reported that the UK.s Foreign Office is supporting Pettifer’s family in the wake of this tragic event.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
