Category: Royal Family

Joanna Cherry – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Joanna Cherry, the SNP MP for Edinburgh South West, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

It is very humbling to follow so many great speeches. On my own behalf and on behalf of my Edinburgh South West constituents, I too rise to honour the memory of our late Queen. Much has been said of her dedication and her service, but I want to concentrate on her love of Scotland and the love of many Scots for her.

As the Queen died at Balmoral, and is to be taken first to the palace of Holyroodhouse and then to St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland will be the centre of the world’s attention over the next few days. That is breaking with tradition, but those were the Queen’s wishes, and Scotland is honoured by them. The last monarch to die in Scotland was James V, who died at Falkland in 1542. He was, of course, the father of Mary, Queen of Scots, and it was her son James VI who presided over the union of the Crowns. Mary, Queen of Scots is the ancestor of all the Stuarts and, indeed, all the Hanoverians who followed. Elizabeth Stuart, the daughter of James VI, married one of the German electors, and with the demise of the last Stuart monarch in 1714, Elizabeth’s grandson succeeded to the British throne. That is the Hanoverian line, and it can be traced directly back to Scotland’s Stuarts. Our late Queen was keenly aware of that—perhaps that is why she chose Stuart names for her first two children, Charles and Anne. And, of course, her mother was a Scot.

In 1953, after her coronation, the first place our late Queen visited was Edinburgh, and throughout her reign, she returned to Scotland for important events and, indeed, chose my country to be centre stage during state visits. In 1962, she chose Scotland for the state visit of the King of Norway; in 2010—very memorably for many people of my faith—she chose Holyrood for the state visit of Pope Benedict XVI; and, of course, she officially opened Scotland’s Parliament when it was reconvened in 1999.

Our late Queen embodied the union of the English and Scottish Crowns, which of course is quite different from the Union of the Parliaments and predates it by over 100 years. At a time of change, there are many in my country—particularly younger people—who might prefer a republic to a constitutional monarchy, but that did not in any way prevent the affection our late Queen held for Scotland from being returned in equal measure. Sadly, I never had the privilege of meeting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of Scots, but earlier this year I did have the privilege of meeting our new King. We spoke of Scotland, and I was left in no doubt that he shared his mother’s abiding love of my country.

As such, before I resume my seat, in honour of his late mother, I want to recite just a few words of Burns’ poetry that I believe may be a favourite of the King:

“Farewell to the mountains, high-cover’d with snow,

Farewell to the straths and green vallies below;

Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods,

Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,

My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;

Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,

My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.”

May she rest in peace.

September 10, 2022
John Redwood – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by John Redwood, the Conservative MP for Wokingham, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

We meet together in mourning. Once again, our late Queen has united the nation, but this time, unfortunately, she has united us in grief and our common sense of loss. We here in Parliament suspend our differences, our party and our political views, because something so large has happened—that constant in our national life who has always been our Queen is no more.

All those of us here who are all privileged to have supporting roles in public life have learned a great deal from observing just how well the Queen carried out all her public service over the years. Everyone here has met her at invitation at Buckingham Palace, or at a national event in London, or, perhaps, hosted her in their constituency—some of us had the honour on many occasions to be with her and to see her. What always came across to all of us was just how much she respected every person and every institution that she visited. She showed that respect by impeccable manners and great courtesy—always on time, always properly briefed, always appropriately dressed for the occasion.

But, as so many have said from their personal experiences, there was something so much more than that. She was not just the consummate professional at those public events: there was the warm spirit, the personality, and above all the understanding that everyone else at that event was terrified that something was going to go wrong, that they had not understood the protocol, or that there was some magic way of doing it—as my right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) was explaining—that they had to get right. At those public events, the Queen always relaxed people and showed them that there was no right way, because she was there for the people; she was there for the institution; she was there for the event. That is what we can learn from.

Of course, she was also Our Majesty. She was the embodiment of the sovereignty of people and Parliament; she represented us so well abroad and represented us at home, knowing that as a constitutional monarch, she represented us when we were united. She spoke for those times when we were gloriously happy and celebrating, or she spoke for those times when there was misery and gloom and she had to deal with our grief and point to the better tomorrow. That was why she held that sovereignty so well and for so long—a constitutional monarch who did not exercise the power, but captured the public mood; who managed to deal with fractious and difficult Parliaments and different political leaders, but who was above the politics, which meant that our constitution was safe in her hands. I wish her son, the new King, every success in following that great lead as he has told us he will do, and I can, with others, say today—“God save the King.”

September 10, 2022
Siobhain McDonagh – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Siobhain McDonagh, the Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

I am sorry, Mr Speaker, I never expected to be called so early; I was so enjoying everybody’s contributions.

I rise to pay my respects on behalf of my constituents in Mitcham and Morden, who, like people in the rest of our country and Commonwealth, are united in mourning. So much has been said in this House and, indeed, from pubs to podiums around the world, and yet such is the magnitude of the moment that it still feels like there is so much left to say.

Queen Elizabeth was the historic figurehead of modern times, a leader—a female leader, may I say—incomparably devoted to her service and her people. As the longest-reigning monarch, she has been ever present, a constant figure of reassurance throughout all our lives. Perhaps that is why the grief feels so personal for so many.

Her Majesty’s leadership transcended generations. She navigated a century of societal changes, from her coronation in post-war Britain to every move of her reign televised globally and across social media. It was this insight that best shared her wonderful sense of humour, with treasured memories of Olympic ceremony skydives, and, more recently, of afternoon tea and teacup drumming with Paddington Bear. She truly was a leader for all ages—respected and admired by young and old. Other Members have spoken at length of her dedication and duty. It was this work ethic that I admired the most, with her service continuing quite literally until the end, as she welcomed her 15th and final Prime Minister just days before her death. What a remarkable drive she had. I suspect that there must have been many times through seven decades of service when a stiff upper lip was required, but, even in the darkest hours, she steadfastly believed that you just had to keep going—a quality of true leadership.

Her Majesty had an unrivalled ability to unite, even at times of deepest division. Perhaps that is why we trusted her. She was our great nation’s guide through good times and bad. As a country we looked to her for reassurance and, most recently, in the coronavirus lockdowns. When she said that we would meet again, we trusted the century of experience on which she was drawing.

Her platinum jubilee showed the love that our country had for her and sparked the togetherness, community and patriotism that she consistently inspired. She was so proud of her country and her Commonwealth and we were so proud of her, so we say thank you for 70 years of service, stewardship and extraordinary stoicism. May she rest in peace.

September 10, 2022
Grant Shapps – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Grant Shapps, the Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Like many in this House, I had the opportunity to meet and speak to the Queen on numerous occasions, but unfortunately the relationship did not start particularly auspiciously. I was invited to Buckingham Palace for what, as other Members will know, is an ancient, complex process of becoming a Privy Councillor. It was so complicated that I was called to a side room with five colleagues to have the process explained. We were told, “You will enter a large hall in Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty will stand at one end. You will kneel on the red cushions, which go back some distance, on your right knees, holding a Bible in your right hand. You will switch that to your left hand, then take the Sovereign’s hand with your right hand and brush her hand, then stand and say, ‘Your Majesty.’”. I thought, “Brush her hand? Was that an instruction to brush her hand with my hand? With my sleeve? Or with a handkerchief?” As I was about to ask, we were called into the performance of the great ceremony itself. I thought, “No matter, I am fifth in the line to become a Privy Councillor, so I will watch my colleagues.”

My colleagues were all swearing on the New Testament, but as I am Jewish I was swearing on the Old Testament. I was at the back of the line and I thought that I would watch what was happening. Unfortunately, as we went into this large hallway, I found that it was so long that I could not see what was happening in the ceremony at the front. As I got closer, the field of view narrowed and the girth of my colleague in front of me widened, and I still could not see what brushing the hand actually entailed. With palpitations, I nervously knelt in front of Her Majesty the Queen, on the red cushion right before her. I switched the Bible, the Pentateuch, from my right to my left hand, and stretched out my right hand. She stretched out her bare, ungloved right hand and, to my surprise, moved it towards my face. It moved towards my lips. I pursed my lips. And it stuck! For what felt like an age she tried to pull it away and then, suddenly, “pop!”, her hand pulled away. I wanted the ground beneath me in Buckingham Palace to swallow me whole, but I remembered to stand up. “Your Majesty,” I quavered. She looked me right in the eyes with those wonderful sparkling eyes, as if both to acknowledge what had happened and also to forgive me in one turn. She said, “Ye…es!”. Mr Speaker, we never spoke of it again. God save the King.

September 10, 2022
George Howarth – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by George Howarth, the Labour MP for Knowsley, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Her Majesty the Queen embodied a shining example of duty, a sympathy and understanding of the people of our country and of the Commonwealth and beyond, and exceptionally good judgment. I have to confess that I have not always felt supportive of the principle of the monarchy. As a young local councillor, I once attended a function at which the loyal toast to the Queen was proposed and, foolishly, I declined to take part, remaining firmly in my seat. My non-participation led to comment in our local paper and a strong backlash from the people I represented. I learnt two lessons from that episode: first, that the unnecessary courting of controversy was not a good thing to do; and, secondly, that the people had enormous respect and affection for our constitutional monarchy and for the Queen in particular. One question I was asked at the time was, “So what is your alternative?” and I must confess that I struggled to find an answer. By the time I was elected to this House, more than a decade later, I had come to the view that Her Majesty and the monarchy were a much-valued part of our national life. Her dedication and sense of duty in the ensuing years has served to strongly confirm me in that view.

September 10, 2022
Amanda Milling – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Amanda Milling, the Conservative MP for Cannock Chase, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

My thoughts and prayers and those of my Cannock Chase constituents are with His Majesty the King and all the royal family, who have lost a much-loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. We have lost a Queen who dutifully served our country through every high and low that we have faced. From war to the pandemic, Her late Majesty has remained the constant, providing quiet but steadfast leadership and showing that whatever we face, our great country can come together.

Like many Members of this House, I had the real privilege of meeting the Queen. The first time I met her was when I was appointed Deputy Chief Whip. We have heard during these tributes from several former Whips about the various duties that are undertaken. My first meeting with the Queen was for the wand swapping—the exchange of the wands of office between the outgoing and incoming deputy. Among Members of this House who know me well, I am not known for being very quiet, but I was so nervous. I was really worried that I would mess up all the protocols, so ahead of going in I just went totally silent. Colleagues and friends were there, including my right hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew), who was a bit baffled. He turned round and said, “Gosh, where has Amanda gone?”

As many hon. Members have remarked, the Queen had an amazing ability to put you at ease, including with that smile. She was loved and admired the length and breadth of our country, including in Cannock Chase. That love and admiration stretched across the world, as I saw on overseas visits. That includes our overseas territories, a number of which I have visited in the past year. Whether it was in a snowstorm at Goose Green in the Falklands, where we both were, or in the heat of Anguilla, I could not help but be moved every time the national anthem was played—I could see and feel the admiration felt by the people of the overseas territories.

In this place, we chose to go into public life because we want to make our great country better for those we serve. In Her late Majesty, we could not have had a better example to follow.

Her unparalleled record of public service stands as an inspiration. We have been lucky to have her wise counsel and calm leadership over the past 70 years. For the country, and around the world, Her late Majesty was a figurehead for all that the United Kingdom represents. I offer His Majesty the King and his family my heartfelt condolences and the condolences of my Cannock Chase constituents. As we all mourn the loss of Queen Elizabeth II, we know that His Majesty the King had an excellent mentor and will continue her great legacy. God save the King.

September 10, 2022
Yvette Cooper – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Yvette Cooper, the Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleton, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

This morning, the Accession Council met to proclaim the new sovereign, His Majesty King Charles III. It was an immense honour to bear witness to that historic proclamation for the Privy Council and for my constituents in Normanton, Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley. For us in Pontefract, it is particularly important to mark the arrival of the new King, who as Prince was a great supporter of the Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract—a considerably more positive association than our last constituency connection with the accession of a monarch, which involved Pontefract castle, Richard II and a rather unfortunate end.

It is an honour to speak in the second day of tributes to Her late Majesty, a truly remarkable Queen. Everyone has their memories. For one of my constituents, it was the parcels that the young Princess Elizabeth sent in 1947, sharing wedding gifts across the country. She says:

“I have always remembered it…There was a pineapple in it and we didn’t even know what it was.”

For those of us who were children in the 1970s, it was the silver jubilee. For us, the Queen meant street parties; everyone made such a big fuss about it being 25 years that frankly we thought she had already been Queen forever. That is what she was for us and subsequent generations: our forever Queen, a constant who would serve our country for another 45 years.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Camberwell and Peckham (Ms Harman), my right hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband) and the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith) have all described how the Queen invited them to tea when they became Privy Counsellors and when they left office. The remarkable thing is that she did that for dozens of us—for every departing Cabinet Minister or party leader.

I was invited after the 2010 election. We drank tea, and the Queen asked me how we had managed being Cabinet Ministers with kids. “Chaotically,” I said. We talked about housing as well. Others have described the kindness that she showed in those meetings, but I think it was much more than that. She did not invite us when we were on the way up; she did not invite us when we were playing a constitutional role; she invited us only when it was all over and the cameras had gone home. Most of us do not like to talk about our downfall. I said, “It was very kind of you to do this.” She said that it was to recognise and say thank you for public service. That said much more about her than it did about the service that any of her Cabinet Ministers had shown; it showed how, privately even more than publicly, she believed in selfless duty and valuing public service to our country.

And yes, the Queen showed that sense of mischief. I do not think anyone has yet told the story that John Prescott—Lord Prescott—tells of his first Privy Council meeting with Clare Short, who was International Development Secretary at the time. According to John, she had arrived late with a large handbag and pile of papers. As they stood to hear the Privy Council business being read out, suddenly Clare’s phone started to ring. Clare rummaged fast but was unable to find it in her handbag before the noise eventually subsided and the call remained unanswered. The Queen simply said, “Oh dear! I do hope that wasn’t anyone important.”

Many hon. Members rightly paid tribute yesterday to the address that the Queen gave just two weeks into the first lockdown. Thousands of people had already died and thousands more were being rushed to hospital, unable to breathe. Schools were closed, families were split up and churches, mosques and synagogues were all shut. Parliament had closed and the Prime Minister was very ill. All the institutions that we relied on and took for granted were either closed or under strain—except the Queen. Only the Queen, our forever Queen who had been a constant through ups and downs, could give us that message.

It was not just about the Queen’s authority in invoking those wartime sacrifices. She captured the yearning of a country to come together just as we needed to stay apart. She invoked British values, saying that

“the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country”—

words she used to describe us, but that so many of us have used to describe her. That is why she was so important to us: because she embodied the values that we still want to see as British—the resilience, the strength, the kindness, the fairness, the common decency, the determined optimism that things will get better because we will make them so, and that selfless duty and commitment to public service. She held up a mirror to our nation of what we want to be. She may not be the forever Queen that I still believed in at the silver jubilee, but those values that she stood up for were forever values, and those are her legacy now.

September 10, 2022
Therese Coffey – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Therese Coffey, the Deputy Prime Minister, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for allowing Ministers to participate in this debate. I really appreciate it, and I know that my constituents from Suffolk Coastal will, too.

Her late Majesty the Queen was a constant across the decades. As a child, I remember the silver jubilee; there were also celebrations for the golden, diamond and platinum jubilees, and commemorations of VE Day. The Queen brought the nation together at sad times, including for events at the Cenotaph, but there was also celebration of what makes our country great. The very first time my mother watched television was the coronation. Somebody nearby in her town of Wrexham bought a TV, and people came from the surrounding streets to watch the Queen being crowned.

The Queen’s impact was felt right around the world. I saw that when I was Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In Kenya, in Uganda, and wherever I went, the Queen was held in the highest regard, and there were always representations made to her. Her impact was felt in world war two as well; I think of the broadcasts by the princesses. As a youth, in 1995—a long time ago—I went as a representative of the United Kingdom to the Anne Frank house, where there were pictures of the princesses. In her diary, on 21 April 1944, Anne Frank wished a happy 18th birthday to Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York, and wondered to which prince they would marry off this beauty. I am confident that our new King will also have that constancy, and that impact around the world, not only because of his work on the environment, but because he will sincerely continue the traditions of his mother.

Turning to Suffolk Coastal, I pay tribute to Rendlesham’s savvy parish council, which always puts on its parish fête on the same day as the trooping of the colour so we get the line-up of all the flypasts, whereas many other places pay for it. The Queen seemed to have a particular affection for Benjamin Britten and opera; she opened the 20th Snape Maltings festival in 1967, and when it burned down a couple of years later she came back to, in effect, reopen it. That affection carried on. Her love of music may not always have been evident, but people in this Chamber and elsewhere will know the special arrangement of the national anthem written by Benjamin Britten. Her love of music was further attested to by the fact that she authorised the name of only one other person on the coinage of the realm: Benjamin Britten.

I want to say on behalf of the people of Suffolk Coastal how much they will miss Queen Elizabeth II, and to pledge their loyalty and support to King Charles III.

September 10, 2022
Louie French – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Louie French, the Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

The Queen lived a wonderful life of duty and service, and was an inspiration to generations of people across the world. It is a huge honour for me to pay tribute to her on behalf of the people of Old Bexley and Sidcup and also my family here in the UK and overseas in Canada. As a community, country and Commonwealth, we now come together to mourn the loss of our Queen, who was ever present in our lives, whether on national occasions, when singing the national anthem at public and sporting events, or—personally my fondest memory—when we watched the Queen’s speech over the family Christmas dinner. We all have our own personal and shared memories of the Queen, who will forever be in our hearts.

I am immensely proud to have discovered in the build-up to the platinum jubilee that an online poll confirmed Old Bexley and Sidcup—my home—as the most royalist constituency. When a French journalist asking for an interview told me that, I stopped and thought about my experiences locally, both growing up and now. Similarly to colleagues, at every primary school visit, the first question I was asked was, “Have you met the Queen?” As far back as I can remember, what do we do at most community events? We stand together and sing the national anthem. I am sure that those experiences are shared across the country. Little did I know last week when I sang the national anthem with the ambassador for Nepal at a community event with our brilliant Bexley Nepalese Gurkhas and Nepalese community that that would be one of the last times that I would have the pleasure of singing “God save the Queen.”

During the wonderful platinum jubilee celebrations, there were more than 140 official street parties in Bexley. I understand that was one of the highest numbers in London, reflecting how cherished the Queen was locally. It was my immense privilege to attend many of those community events.

I remember the excitement when the Queen last visited the London Borough of Bexley in 2005 to officially reopen Danson House in the constituency of my right hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Sir David Evennett), just over the border from mine. She was greeted by crowds of well-wishers. It is also important to remember a previous visit to Bexley. In 1953, she visited Erith in the constituency of the hon. Member for Erith and Thamesmead (Abena Oppong-Asare) after devastating floods. That is a reminder of how the Queen was there for us throughout the good times but also the bad, and of how her presence brought both comfort and hope to people at times of concern in an ever-changing world.

The Queen was an inspiration to millions around the world. She was a fashion and sporting icon through her love of the horses. She was the mother and grandmother of our great nation, and who can forget the corgi emojis from the platinum jubilee, which highlighted the evolution of technology during her reign and how she embraced it? Mr Speaker, I think I found something there that no one has said in 11 hours.

Rest in peace, Your Majesty. As a working-class lad from Bexley, it was my greatest honour to swear an oath of allegiance to you on entering this place. You make us all proud to be British—and, in my case, an Englishman. We will continue to serve loyally your heir and son, King Charles III. All of the royal family are in our thoughts and prayers. On behalf of the people of Old Bexley and Sidcup, I say, “God save the King.”

September 10, 2022
Virginia Crosbie – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Virginia Crosbie, the Conservative MP for Ynys Môn, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

Today we are united in mourning our beloved Queen Elizabeth II. For 70 years, she has been a source of stability and comfort. She is the only monarch that many of us have known.

I begin my tribute by remembering the warmth and joy that the Queen brought to so many of us. She knew how to have fun and make us smile. We all remember when, joined by her beloved corgis, she teamed up with 007 to parachute into the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic games, or when she took tea with Paddington Bear earlier this year. I attended jubilee events across Ynys Môn and saw the joy that the Queen brought to people’s lives. People came up to me, from Amlwch to Pentraeth, to share their personal experiences of meeting her.

As the head of our armed forces, Her Majesty was immensely proud of their professionalism and dedication. I know that the team at RAF Valley, where the Queen came to visit her grandson, and Ynys Môn’s veteran population will feel immense pride in having fulfilled their oath of allegiance to her.

The Queen was a frequent visitor to Wales. She visited the port of Holyhead and Beaumaris castle, opened Oriel Môn in Llangefni on Anglesey, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from nearby Bangor University. During her diamond jubilee visit to Wales, she said:

“I have travelled the length and breadth of this country during my sixty years as your Queen. Prince Philip and I have shared many of the joys and sadnesses of the Welsh people in that time and have always been struck by your sense of pride and your undimmed optimism.”

Her Majesty’s dedication to service and her contribution to public life are unparalleled. She provided inspiration to millions of women aspiring to the highest offices. She was a patron for Girlguiding and a long-serving member of the Women’s Institute, which had its first meeting on Anglesey.

We have shared the ups and downs of the Queen’s life, as she danced with us in victory and success, and mourned with us at times of grief. Her sorrow at the loss of her devoted husband, Prince Philip, was felt by us all. Although our sense of loss is immense, we must take comfort from the fact that she is once more at his side.

As our United Kingdom moves into a new era, I welcome the announcement by our new King today that his son, Prince William, who began his married life on Anglesey, where he was stationed as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot, will become our next Prince of Wales.

On behalf of the people of Ynys Môn, may I say diolch yn fawr, express my sincere thanks for a life well lived and send our condolences to the Queen’s family? God save the King, and God bless the Prince and Princess of Wales.

September 10, 2022