Prince Charles reflected on the “deeply challenging” past year in a video shared by the Naz Legacy Foundation on Monday. The Prince of Wales recorded the special message to mark the end of the month of Ramadan. “This last year I know has been deeply challenging for us all, and I’m only too aware of the impact of the pandemic on the Muslim community,” Princes William and Harry’s father said.

“This year so many families, like my own, will have an empty seat at their dinner table and friends are no longer able to share the celebratory hug after Eid prayers,” Charles continued. “I can only say how deeply saddened I am by this tragic situation and how my heart goes out to all those who have lost their loved ones.”

The Prince of Wales’ father Prince Philip passed away peacefully on April 9 at Windsor Castle. Following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles paid tribute to his “dear papa” with a statement outside of Highgrove House.

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“I particularly wanted to say that my father, for I suppose the last 70 years, has given the most remarkable, devoted service to the Queen, to my family and to the country, but also to the whole of the Commonwealth,” the Queen’s eldest son said. “As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously. He was a much loved and appreciated figure and apart from anything else, I can imagine, he would be so deeply touched by the number of other people here and elsewhere around the world and the Commonwealth, who also I think, share our loss and our sorrow.”

Charles added, “My dear papa was a very special person who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him and from that point of view we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that. It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time. Thank you.”