WASHINGTON — Royals and rock stars lauded Nelson Mandela in an outpouring of praise demonstrating that the impact of his remarkable life extended around the globe.
In the hours since Mandela’s death, figures from Prince William to Oprah Winfrey to Chelsea Clinton were among the celebs sending out accolades.
“We were just reminded of what an extraordinary and inspiring man Nelson Mandela was,” said Prince William, who attended the London Royal premiere of the new biopic “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” Thursday night.
Stunned guests learned Mandela had died as the credits rolled at the screening. Mandela’s two youngest daughters were at the show, but left early when they learned the news.
“To say that he was a great man is kind of an understatement. There are a lot of great men — but he was uncommonly great,” soul diva Aretha Franklin told Sirius XM radio.
Oprah Winfrey sent out a photo of her and Mandela on her Instagram account.
“One of the great honors of my life was to be invited to Nelson Mandela’s home, spend private time and get to know him. He was everything you’ve ever heard and more — humble and unscathed by bitterness,” she wrote.
“He will always be my hero. His life was a gift to us all,” Winfrey concluded.
Mandela’s death “leaves an enormous hole,” singer Peter Gabriel told Radio.com. “In many ways, he was a father figure to all those who have campaigned for the rights of others, or for justice,” Gabriel said.
There were concerns that Mandela’s death could lead to political fragmentation in South Africa, where deep economic divisions remain two decades after apartheid.
“Let us give him the gift of a South Africa united, one,” former Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu said at a Mass in Cape Town.
Chelsea Clinton tweeted out a picture of herself and her father, Bill Clinton, sharing an elegant meal with Mandela.
“A smile brighter than the light in any room or the sun on any day. A life well lived. An example to any & all #Madiba,” she wrote, using the hashtag for Mandela’s tribal family name.
Tea Party favorite Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called Mandela an “inspiration” on his Facebook page — but his words drew jeers from some anonymous Cruz supporters in the comments section.