Briton killed in New Orleans attack was stepson of former royal nanny

LONDON (Reuters) – British police have named one of the victims of the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans as Edward Pettifer, a 31-year-old from London whose stepmother was a nanny to Prince William and Prince Harry.

He was among 14 people killed by a U.S. Army veteran who had pledged allegiance to Islamic State and rammed a truck into a crowd of revellers.

“The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Ed’s death in New Orleans,” Pettifer’s family said in a statement issued by London’s Metropolitan Police.

A royal source said King Charles was deeply saddened to learn of Pettifer’s death and had been in touch with his family to pass on personal condolences.

Pettifer’s father Charles, a former British army officer, married Tiggy Legge-Bourke in 1999 shortly after she had stepped down as nanny to William and Harry.

The family remained close to British royalty and Pettifer’s stepbrother Tom was a page at William’s wedding in 2011.

(Reporting by David Milliken; Additional reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Alison Williams)