London: Major Alexis Roberts, a "good friend" and former platoon commander of Prince William at Sandhurst, has been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan.
 
Prince William, second in line to the British throne, today said he is "deeply saddened" at the death of his "good friend", 32-year-old Major Alexis Roberts, who was serving with 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha rifles.
 
Major Roberts died as his convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device as it returned to its base in Kandahar, Britain's Ministry of Defence said. "Prince William was deeply saddened to learn of the death in action of Lex Roberts whom he remembers with great respect as his platoon commander at Sandhurst and as a good friend," a spokesman of the Prince said.
 
"At this time his thoughts and prayers are with Lex's wife Susie, their two young daughters, and with all his family and friends." Roberts was the 82nd British soldier to have died in Afghanistan since the Taliban government was toppled in 2001.