Prince Harry is headed home.
The Duke of Sussex, who currently resides in California with wife Meghan Markle and son Archie Harrison, flew to the U.K. after the death of his beloved grandfather. While he flew back solo—pregnant Meghan did not get clearance from her doctor to travel—his growing family is always close to him. Take, for example, the touching tribute he wrote to the late Duke of Edinburgh on April 12.
"My grandfather was a man of service, honor and great humor," Harry began. "He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm—and also because you never knew what he might say next."
"He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke," his message continued. "But to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right 'til the end."
Harry noted that Philip had been a "rock" for Queen Elizabeth II during their 73 years of marriage.
"And while I could go on, I know that right now he would say to all of us, beer in hand, 'Oh do get on with it!'" Harry wrote. "So, on that note, Grandpa, thank you for your service, your dedication to Granny, and for always being yourself. You will be sorely missed, but always remembered—by the nation and the world. Meghan, Archie, and I (as well as your future great-granddaughter) will always hold a special place for you in our hearts."
He concluded the message with the motto of the Royal Marines, "Per Mare, Per Terram," which, translated from Latin, means, "By Sea, By Land."
Just hours after Philip's passing on April 9, Harry and Meghan honored him with a tribute on their Archewell website, which temporarily became an in memoriam for the late duke. "Thank you for your service," the duo wrote. "You will be greatly missed."
Prince Philip's funeral is set for Saturday, April 17, at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and will mark the first time Harry will come face-to-face with his family—including Prince William and Prince Charles—since his and Meghan's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
However, according to expert Camilla Tominey, this may very well be the occasion that mends the seemingly ever-growing royal rift.
"Obviously it is difficult because there are still bristling tensions between not only Prince Harry and his brother, but also Prince Harry and his father," she said on NBC's Nightly News. "But, of course, as most families can recognize, when there are problems, sometimes it takes an event like this a very sad event, to unite people, and hopefully that is what's going to happen in this case."
Watch a livestream of Prince Philip's funeral on E! News starting at 9:15 a.m. ET/6:15 a.m. PT on April 17.