King Charles, Queen Camilla celebrate Sir Tom Stoppard’s life and legacy following his demise

King Charles has paid tribute to Sir Tom Stoppard, the legendary playwright and screenwriter who passed away at the age of 88 on November 29.

In his statement, the King shared on his and Queen Camilla’s behalf, “My wife and I are deeply saddened to learn of the death of one of our greatest writers, Sir Tom Stoppard.”

“A dear friend who wore his genius lightly, he could, and did, turn his pen to any subject, challenging, moving, and inspiring his audiences, borne from his own personal history,” the message continued.

The sovereign’s tribute concluded with a nod to one of Stoppard’s memorable quotes from his play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead — “We send our most heartfelt sympathy to his beloved family. Let us all take comfort in his immortal line: ‘Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else’.”

Tom Stoppard, who was also known for his work as a script doctor for various film productions, was commemorated by the BBC for his “witty and playful” writing and the delight he took in the “philosophical and political argument” included in his works.

Born Tomas Straussler in Czechia, the modern day Czech Republic, Stoppard’s death was announced to be a result of natural causes.