King Charles is deeply saddened after a British man died in a vehicle attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, according to Buckingham Palace sources.
The king has been in touch with the family of Edward Pettifer, 31, sources told the BBC.
Mr Pettifer, who was named by Metropolitan Police on Saturday morning, is believed to be the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry’s former nanny, Alexandra Pettifer, who was known as Tiggy.
The 31-year-old’s family described him as a “wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend to so many”.
open image in galleryEdward Pettifer has been named by Metropolitan Police as one of the victims of the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans (Metropolitan Police/PA)
The statement added: “The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Ed‘s death in New Orleans. We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack.”
At least 14 people were killed in the New Year’s Day attack when 42-year-old Army veteran, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, plowed a truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street.
The FBI is investigating the incident as an “act of terrorism”.
The New Orleans coroner said Mr Pettifer’s main cause of death was “blunt force injuries”. Family liaison officers from the Met Police are supporting Mr Pettifer’s family as his body is returned to the UK.
More follows on this breaking news story…