Prince of Wales expresses ‘deep sadness’ over death of close family friend Tara Palmer-Tomkinson
PRINCE Charles said he is "deeply saddened" over the death of close family friend Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.
A statement from the Prince of Wales and wife the Duchess of Cornwall said: "[We are] deeply saddened and our thoughts are so much with the family."
Palmer-Tomkinson's parents Charles and Patricia are close friends of Prince Charles.
Former I'm a Celeb runner-up Palmer-Tomkinson was pictured playing with the young Princes William and Harry on a 1994 trip to Balmoral.
She later attended William's marriage to Kate Middleton in 2011.
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The socialite died this afternoon at her London home aged just 45.
She had been battling a brain tumour since last January.
Doctors discovered a growth in her pituitary gland which was non-malignant but was affecting the production of hormone prolactin.
Palmer-Tomkinson made headlines during her career for her fun-loving lifestyle.
She said: "I got terribly frightened. I started thinking, 'I'm going to die, I'm going to die. I've only got a couple of weeks to live.' Stuff like that.
"I’ve gone completely the other way. I’m a very quiet person now, and I like being that person. I have a better perspective on life."
When she was a school girl, she dreamed of being a pianist or to ride in the Grand National, but she quickly fell down other paths.
The brunette model became a household name after crossing the line from aristocratic society into celebrity culture.
After leaving school, the kooky posh girl briefly worked in the City of London for the Rothschild bank before she grew in fame through her weekly columns.
In the 1990s, Tara held regular gigs in publications such as The Sunday Times, The Spectator, The Mail on Sunday, GQ and Tatler, which featured her weekly activities.
Tributes poured in from shocked friends this afternoon.
Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan tweeted: "RIP Tara Palmer Tomkinson, 45. A fun feisty woman who battled many demons. Very sad news."
London socialite Henry Conway – who trained with TPT during series 1 of Channel 4’s The Jump – also expressed sadness at the news of the star’s death.
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