Prince William sent his and Princess Kate Middleton’s condolences in the form of a letter to the family of a late pizza shop owner whom they crossed paths with last year.
Peter Morris, the owner of Little Dragon Pizza Van in Wales, died of cancer in May. During his funeral, the late business owner’s widow read a letter from William, 42, which was written on Kensington Palace stationery.
“I wanted to write to express how terribly sorry Catherine and I were to hear the very sad news about your husband, Pete, and to send you our deepest sympathies,” William shared, according to the U.K.’s The Sun. “We can only begin to imagine what an immense hole he will leave in your life, and my heart goes out to you and your family. Catherine and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Pete.”
Morris converted his VW van into a food truck that makes and sells pizzas. During their April 2023 trip to Wales, the Prince and Princess of Wales purchased 22 pies from the food truck owner and distributed them to the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team.
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“We know that Pete was a hugely dedicated and highly valued member of the community which has been evident from the response to his passing,” William’s letter continued. “I hope you can draw comfort from the knowledge of the impact he has had on so many people.”
He concluded: “I appreciate that this letter alone can be of little comfort under such circumstance, but I did want you to know just how much you and your family are in our thoughts at such a difficult time.”
While the letter was typed, according to a photo shared by The Sun, William handwrote the greeting and signed his name, offering his “deepest condolences.”
Little Dragon Pizza announced Morris’ death in an Instagram post on May 25.
“We were fortunate to call him as our boss and friend. His contagious passion will be remembered,” the caption read, in part. “We are committed to continuing the hard work he invested his time in and do him proud.”
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The Sun reported that Morris had overcome his esophageal cancer, but the disease had spread to his adrenal gland and liver.
After meeting William and Kate, also 42, last year, Morris spoke to People about his interaction with the royal family members.
“The princess asked if we make our own dough and said that they love making pizzas with their children,” he recalled, referring to Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. “Making pizza for the future king and queen is surreal.”
