PHNOM PENH: Cambodian leaders have expressed their grief and condolences on the sudden death of Prince Norodom Ranariddh. Ranarridh has succumbed to his illness on Sunday morning in France. The news shocked the whole country with people and the leaders have expressed sorrow on the passing of the prince – the half brother of King Norodom Sihamoni.

Prime Minister Hun Sen immediately released a statement on Sunday expressing condolences on the death of Prince Norodom Ranariddh. The Prime Minister and his wife Bun Rany Hun Sen say that they are deeply saddened about the death of the prince who was the chairman of FUNCINPEC - the royalist political party in Cambodia.

Prime Minister Hun Sen says that they would like to share their condolences with the princess, the son, the daughter, and the Royal Family describing the death of Prince Ranariddh as the loss of a great royal figure in the royal family who is patriotic, religious, and has the will of a king.

The late Prince Norodom Ranarridh was a former Prime Minister of Cambodia.

His royalist political party won elections in 1993, was ousted in a 1997 coup by his coalition partner and rival - now Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Prince Ranariddh’s eldest son, Prince Norodom Chakravuth has announced on Sunday evening that the remains of his father will be transported back home. Although there is no date released yet as to when it will arrive in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Prince Norodom Chakravuth is now the acting president of FUNCINPEC.

Another leader, President of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, Keo Remy has stated that he was shocked by the death of Prince Norodom Ranariddh and would have remembered many good memories with him. He has added that he was a descendant of the prince remembering the times that he paid back his gratitude to Prince Ranariddh when he was in exile in 1997 and in 2008 before the election.

He says Prince Norodom Ranariddh fled twice, from July 1997 to March 1998, in connection with the armed clashes between the CPP and FUNCINPEC, and from March 2007 to September 2008 in connection with the lawsuit profit from the sale of party headquarters to the French Embassy. Prince Norodom Ranariddh was the first Prime Minister from 1993 to 1997 and was the Speaker of the National Assembly from 1998 to 2006.