Royal Family Honors New Orleans Attack Victim, Stepson of Prince William and Harry's Nanny

 Royal Family Pays Tribute to New Orleans Attack Victim, Stepson of Prince William and Harry's Former Nanny

Jan. 4, 2025, 9:51 PM GMT+6

LONDON — The royal family paid tribute on Saturday to Edward Pettifer, a 31-year-old British man who was killed in a truck-ramming attack in New Orleans. Pettifer, who was the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry’s former nanny, was one of 14 victims killed when an ISIS-inspired U.S. Army veteran drove his truck into a crowd of revelers on New Year's Day, his family confirmed.

“The entire family is devastated by the tragic news of Ed’s death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew, and friend to many,” the family said in a statement issued by London’s Metropolitan Police.

“We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost loved ones in this terrible attack. We ask for privacy to grieve the loss of Ed as a family,” the statement added.

Pettifer, from the Chelsea area of West London, was the stepson of Alexandra Pettifer, who cared for the sons of King Charles III in the 1990s when she was known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke.

Charles expressed his sorrow after learning of Pettifer’s death and has been in contact with the family to offer his condolences, a Buckingham Palace source said. Prince William, the heir to the throne, wrote on X, "Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pettifer family and all those affected by this horrific attack."

As of now, all but one of the victims in the truck-ramming attack have been identified by the New Orleans coroner’s office. The final victim is a woman whose identity remains unknown, and efforts to identify her continue.

The coroner’s office confirmed that all 14 victims died from blunt force trauma on Bourbon Street. The victims came from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, New York, and New Jersey.

Authorities also revealed that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the assailant, had planned to use a transmitter to detonate two explosive devices placed nearby. However, neither device exploded, and it remains unclear whether the failure was due to a malfunction or another issue.