Thomas Ravenel Suffers Loss Of His Dad, Former Senator Arthur Ravenel Jr.

On January 16, Thomas Ravenel announced the death of his father, Arthur Ravenel Jr. "Rest in Peace Dad 3/29/27-1/16/23," he tweeted. "It's what he wanted (to meet his maker) but I'll miss the non-stop love and laughs he gave me over the years," Thomas added. The senior Ravenel was 95 years old at the time of his death.

While many South Carolina natives may have been aware of the Ravenel name, the family's prominence became more widely known during Thomas' stint on "Southern Charm." He often spoke about his family's longstanding history in Charleston, with his lineage dating back to the French Huguenots who arrived in South Carolina in 1686, per Bravo. The famous Ravenel bridge was also mentioned frequently on "Southern Charm," and was named after Arthur spearheaded its reconstruction during his 1996 state senate campaign.

As listed by the South Carolina State House, Arthur served in the U.S. Congress from 1987 to 1995. He was the state senator from 1981 to 1985 and served again from 1997 to 2003. He was also in the United States Marine Corps from 1945 to 1946. After his death, a fellow politician paid his respects — but received backlash in doing so

Following news of Arthur Ravenel Jr.'s death, Governor Henry McMaster tweeted, "Arthur Ravenel was a giant of a man. He loved and fought for everything that makes South Carolina great. His remarkable legacy will live on in our love for our people, our heritage and our blessings of nature. Peggy and I hold the Ravenel family in our hearts and prayers." However, not everyone held Arthur in high esteem. "He was a confederate lover, racist and a undercover klansman. Thanks for showing who you are," a Twitter user replied. Another wrote, "He was a bigot and a racist. Sons of Confederate Veterans, supporter of the Confederate flag being flown at the statehouse," and went on to highlight several disparaging comments Arthur allegedly made. 

Arthur previously made appearances on "Southern Charm" with his son, former star Thomas Ravenel, which caused some controversy, per the Daily Mail. In Season 1, the father and son were finishing their lunches when Arthur claimed he didn't like the five-dollar bill because it had President Abraham Lincoln on it. In a later episode, the camera spotted a Museum of the Confederacy magnet and a large portrait of Robert E. Lee on the wall. The episodes were later removed by Bravo.

Arthur's cause of death is unknown at the time of this writing.