Prince William’s personal and heartfelt message after death of war hero John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway

Prince William shared a heartfelt message on social media following the death of the last surviving Battle of Britain pilot.

The Prince of Wales, a former Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot himself, wrote a personal tweet on Tuesday.

“I was sad to hear about the passing of John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway this morning, the last of ‘The Few’,” the 42-year-old wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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“We owe so much to Paddy and his generation for our freedoms today.

“Their bravery and sacrifice will always be remembered. We shall never forget them.”

Hemingway, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1919, died on St Patrick’s Day at the age of 105.

The fighter pilot joined the RAF as a teenager before WWII and at 19 became one of the airmen who defended Britain in the famous 1940 Battle of Britain.

That group of airmen, known as “The Few” after a speech by then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill, went on to become legendary.

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“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few,” the wartime PM said in parliament, as the Battle of Britain reached its peak.

Current Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined the chorus of tributes to the soldier.

“Very sad to hear of the passing of Group Captain John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway, the last known Battle of Britain pilot,” Starmer said in a tribute on X.

“His courage, and that of all RAF pilots, helped end WWII and secure our freedom. We will never forget their bravery and service.

“Thank you, John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway.”

King Charles is yet to make a public tribute to the late pilot but RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton described Hemingway as “an amazing character”.

“Paddy always had a twinkle in his eyes as he recalled the fun times with colleagues in France and London,” the RAF said in a statement announcing his passing.

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“This quiet, composed, thoughtful and mischievous individual may not have wanted to be the last of ‘The Few’, but he embodied the spirit of all those who flew sorties over this green and pleasant land.

“His passing marks the end of an era and a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom during World War II.”

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