Prince Williamis grieving a friend.
The Prince of Wales, 40, issued a rare personal statement onTwitterFriday after his friend Mark Jenkins and his son were killed in a plane crash in Kenya earlier this week.
“Yesterday, I lost a friend, who dedicated his life to protecting wildlife in some of East Africa’s most renowned national parks. Mark Jenkins, and his son Peter, were tragically killed when flying over Tsavo National Park while conducting an aerial patrol,” William began a two-part post from his Prince of Wales account.
“Tonight, I’m thinking about Mark’s wife, family and colleagues who’ve sadly lost a man we all loved and admired,” he added, signing off “W.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton.Chris Jackson/Getty
William and his wifeKate Middletonare known to sign off personal social media posts with their first initials. PEOPLE confirms that the prince met Jenkins during his gap year after graduating from Eton College in 2000, and the two stayed in touch. Prince William got involved with the African wildlife conservation charityTuskin 2005, and Jenkins followed his work there in the years that followed.
“Passionate, principled, and strong-willed, Mark was never afraid to speak his mind and stand for what he believed in. He was a commanding presence and made an indelible impression wherever he went,” the obituary said.
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source: people.com
