- Touching Lines to Her Dead Half Sister
The former girlfriend of Prince Harry (39), actress, dancer, and model Cressida Bonas (35), has spoken out following the death of her half-sister Pandora Cooper-Key (1973-2024) with a heart-wrenching Instagram post. The artist passed away at the age of 51 from cancer on July 22.
"My Beloved Sister"
Pandora Cooper-Key was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 26 and had been battling various forms of cancer for decades. On August 4, her family announced that she had passed away from an inoperable brain tumor. A day later, Cressida Bonas shared a longer statement on her Instagram page, expressing her profound loss.
In the statement, Cressida, who was previously in a relationship with Prince Harry, writes, among other things: "I will search for you in my dreams, where you say 'Hi Smally' and tell me where you've been. Then one day, I will remember that you said on one of your last days, 'I don't know what all the fuss is about, I'm not going anywhere...'" She will realize, "that I never had to search for you. You were always by my side, for my beloved sister, my heart is forever connected to yours."
Cressida, 35, published eight photos of the deceased along with the post. Four of them show the two women, who share a mother, intimately together, embracing or smiling at each other. The other four photos show the deceased alone, at work, with dogs, and at the beach.
She Suffered from Various Cancers for Half of Her Life
Pandora Cooper-Key suffered from Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare condition that increases the risk of developing various types of cancer. At 26, she was diagnosed with Paget's disease and underwent a bilateral mastectomy. Eight years later, just weeks after giving birth to her first child, she was diagnosed with a sarcoma in her left eye and the nasal sinuses. Doctors gave her only ten months to live. In 2016, she experienced several epileptic seizures, sometimes lasting a week. Despite this, the artist, who previously worked as a handbag designer for Vivienne Westwood, opened a ceramics business in 2022.
After shareing her heartfelt tribute, Cressida Bonas grappled with the intense grief caused by her sister's passing. Recalling their shared moments, she acknowledged, "I will always feel your presence, Pandora, my beloved sister."
Throughout her sister's cancer journey, Cressida's grief was compounded by the knowledge that Pandora's battle with Li-Fraumeni syndrome had only just begun at the age of 26.
