The Prince and Princess of Wales have paid personal tribute to Peter Morris, a pizza-seller whom they met in 2023.
The 47-year-old has tragically died after a cancer diagnosis, and at his funeral a letter, sent to his widow Tracey from the pair, was read out to the congregation.
"We can only begin to imagine what an immense hole he will leave in your life and my heart goes out to you and your family," it read. "Catherine and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Pete. We know that Pete was a hugely dedicated and highly valued member of the community which has been evident from the response to his passing."
It concluded: "I did want you to know just how much you and your family are in our thoughts at this time."
The letter will now be framed for his daughters, said Tracey.
"[The letter] came as a massive surprise. I don’t even know how they found out Pete had died. It may have hit a chord with them because Kate is going through treatment," Tracey told The Sun.
"He said how down to earth they were. We had so many letters from people who loved Pete but the one from William and Kate was very special."
During a visit to Dowlais Rugby Club in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, in April 2023, Prince William and his wife stopped at a popular pizza van owned by Peter.
During their meeting with Peter, William and Kate spent almost £130 ($150) on a selection of 12 margarita, pepperoni, BBQ chicken and goats cheese pizzas which they handed out to the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team.
"They were really nice. When I was setting up the business it would have been beyond my wildest dreams that one day I would serve the future king," Peter told the press at the time of the visit.
Pete was diagnosed with esophageal cancer before being given the all-clear but in August 2023, four months after the royal visit, doctors found the disease in his adrenal gland and liver.
Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in a moving video message released on 22 March, 2024. The Princess was filmed in the grounds of Windsor Park, speaking from a park bench as she told the country of her news.
"This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," Kate said.
"As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok."
Kate has since been undergoing a course of preventive chemotherapy.