Queen Elizabeth's youngest son Prince Edward said his mother's passing 'has left an unimaginable void in all our lives' in a new statement

• The Queen's son Prince Edward has released an official statement following her death.
• Edward, 58, said the monarch's death "has left an unimaginable void in all our lives."

Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son, Prince Edward, released a new statement in the wake of his mother's death, saying the event "has left an unimaginable void in all our lives."

The Queen died at Balmoral Castle on September 8. She was 96.

"We have been overwhelmed by the tide of emotion that has engulfed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration and respect to such a very special and unique person who was always there for us," the Earl of Wessex, 58, said in a statement shared with Insider from Buckingham Palace.

"And now, we are there for her, united in grief," he said, thanking everyone for their support in their time of mourning," he said.

Edward said he and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, have enjoyed seeing their children, James and Louise, "enjoying the places and activities that their grandparents loved so much."

"Given that my mama let us spend so much time with her, I think she also rather enjoyed watching those passions blossom. Those times together, those happy memories, have now become massively precious to each and every one of us," he said.

Edward acknowledged that his entire family had grown up "learning to share our parents, especially our beloved mama" with the public.

"While it has been lovely to have spent time saying our own farewell privately at Balmoral, it is now time to allow others to be able to say their farewell," he said. Currently, queues to pay respects to the Queen as she lies in state at Westminster Hall are up to 12 hours long.

"May God bless Her Majesty and may her memory be long cherished even as the baton she has carried for these past 70 years now passes to the next generation and to my brother, Charles," Edward concluded. "Long Live The King."

Edward is the youngest brother to King Charles III, who ascended the throne upon the Queen's death. Charles, Edward, and their siblings Princess Anne and Prince Andrew walked behind the Queen's coffin in Edinburgh earlier this week before standing guard at a vigil in St Giles' Cathedral.

The Queen's funeral will take place on Monday, September 19 at Westminster Abbey in London. The royal family are due to take part in a procession ahead of the service.