Category: Royal Family

Jonathan Ashworth – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Labour MP for Leicester South, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

I rise to express my personal condolences to His Majesty the King and the royal family, to associate myself with the remarks that we have heard so far, and to pay tribute to Her late Majesty on behalf of my Leicester South constituents and the city of Leicester. Leicester is proud of its radical tradition. Notwithstanding our history as a parliamentarian stronghold, Her Majesty was held in deep affection and viewed with deep reverence and love across Leicester. We are united in our grief today.

Leicester’s story today is one of diversity. We have welcomed to our city families from across the globe and the Commonwealth. Some of those families were fleeing persecution with nothing but a hastily packed suitcase. Her Majesty’s leadership of the Commonwealth stands not only as a reminder of the bonds of solidarity between the different nations of the Commonwealth, but as a symbol of inspirational hope for families fleeing persecution—hope for a better future for themselves and their children. We in Leicester were reminded of that only last month, as we recalled the 50-year anniversary of the expulsion of the Asian community from Uganda.

Her Majesty celebrated Leicester’s diversity; she was proud of our different faith groups. Our mosques have been recognising her death and expressing their thanks at Jummah prayers today; our Hindu temples have been placing garlands over pictures of her; and there are prayers in our synagogues, in our gurdwaras and in our Jain temple. We were particularly proud to host Her Majesty 10 years ago for the start of her diamond jubilee tour, for which all our communities came together.

Indeed, for the start of that diamond jubilee tour, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester West (Liz Kendall) and I had the privilege of welcoming the Queen to De Montfort University in my constituency. After we had queued nervously to greet Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, in the corner of my eye, I caught her looking somewhat bemused—if not slightly askance—at her husband, who had asked me and my hon. Friend whether we were reds or blues. I do not know what his opinion was of our answer, frankly.

A few months after we in Leicester had celebrated Her Majesty at the start of the diamond jubilee tour, we were nervous because we had discovered the remains of the last Yorkist monarch in a Leicester City Council car park. That provoked all kinds of knotty constitutional questions for the palace, including what we were going to do with Richard III. With her usual aplomb, and the diplomatic skill about which we have heard so much, Her Majesty let it be known that she was following developments with great interest, and a couple of years later, she visited Leicester cathedral—the final resting place of Richard III—to hand out Maundy money on Maundy Thursday.

In February 1952, when this House debated a motion on the loss of His Majesty King George, Winston Churchill said from the Dispatch Box said he hoped the accession of Queen Elizabeth would usher in a golden age. In response the former Prime Minister and then Leader of the Opposition Clement Attlee said that he hoped the accession of Queen Elizabeth would lead to another glorious Elizabethan era more renowned than the first one. My God, she more than surpassed the aspirations and hopes of those two great Prime Ministers. Rest in peace, and God save the King.

September 10, 2022
Greg Hands – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Greg Hands, the Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

I rise to add my tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on behalf of my Chelsea and Fulham constituents at a time of great sadness for the whole country. She was much loved in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and among my Fulham constituents. She came at least once a year to my constituency, to the Chelsea flower show.

Indeed, it was at the Chelsea flower show that I personally met the Queen for the first time, in 2010, and the last time, just three months ago. The Chelsea flower show was one of her absolute favourite events. She rarely, if ever, missed it. She may have been to it more than 70 times. But in 2010 it was my first Chelsea flower show. I was third in the royal receiving line and exceptionally nervous. This was not helped by the receiving line taking around two hours, as almost the entire royal family came, at 10-minute intervals, starting with Princess Alexandra. Eventually the Queen arrived and all passed well. I had bowed in the right place and extended her my hand at the right time. We had a brief, charming and pleasant conversation. I could relax—except that I had forgotten one thing: she was not the last of the royal family to come. There was still, moments later, the Duke of Edinburgh. I realised my mistake and almost fell over, having messed up my bow and called him “Your Majesty”, to which the Duke smiled and said, “Are you new?” I pay tribute to him today as well: the late Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen’s beloved husband.

The last time I saw Her Majesty was at this year’s Chelsea flower show, which she toured with great enthusiasm in a golf cart. She was radiant and, as ever, fascinated by the displays. It was simply amazing to see her at the age of 96.

The Queen was much loved by my Fulham constituents as well. Indeed, one of the iconic pieces of video footage from the 1977 silver jubilee is a clip of a group of women on Kingwood Road in Fulham, arm in arm, wearing jubilee hats and singing, all together, “Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner”. She will be grieved and warmly remembered the length of King’s Road and, appropriately, along New King’s Road as well.

I also met Her Majesty in my role as the Government’s Deputy Chief Whip. Many in this House will know that the Deputy Chief Whip is also the honorific Treasurer of Her Majesty’s Household. The role comes with a wand of office, which looks like a long billiard cue and unscrews in the middle. My right hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Andrew Stephenson) referred to it earlier. The day came in October 2013 for the transfer of the wand of office from my predecessor, Sir John Randall—now Lord Randall—to me in a ceremony at the palace. I was once again nervous, but once again it all started well. Sir John handed the Queen the wand of office, which she then handed to me. But I started fidgeting with it—I found it a fascinating article—as Sir John carried on speaking with Her Majesty. I started absentmindedly to unscrew the wand of office. I got an alarmed look from Her Majesty and an alarmed look from Sir John Randall, who told me, “Stop it!” I was told afterwards that if I had unscrewed entirely the wand of office, that would have meant rejecting the office and that Sir John would have had to come back here as the Government’s Deputy Chief Whip.

But that was not the worst thing. A minute or two later, the Queen suddenly said to me and Sir John—bear in mind that this was in 2013, at around the time of growing European rebellion in the Conservative party— “I do think Mr Baron has a point”, referring to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Baron). By now I was a total wreck. The Queen was seemingly pronouncing on the greatest political issue of the time, and I had to give her an answer of behalf of the Government. Fortunately, she saw my difficulty and clarified that it was in reference to one of my hon. Friend’s many other rebellions—regimental mergers—and was nothing to do with Brexit at all.

The Queen’s historic significance, the length of her reign, everything that she had seen, the fact that she met every US president during her reign except one, the fact that her first Prime Minister was Sir Winston Churchill, who was born more than 100 years before my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk (Elizabeth Truss), and the fact that Josef Stalin was still in the Kremlin when she came to the throne, show her historical significance. On behalf of my Chelsea and Fulham constituents, I pay tribute to the Queen and wish King Charles III a happy reign of many years.

September 10, 2022
Marsha De Cordova – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Marsha De Cordova, the Labour MP for Battersea, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

It is an honour to speak not only on my own behalf but on behalf of my constituents and to pass on their condolences. The passing of Her Majesty the Queen is a great loss for the royal family and for our country. As our longest-reigning sovereign, our remarkable Queen dedicated 70 years of her life to serving our country. She devoted her life to the betterment of this country, and today we celebrate her service and express our thanks for her steadfast leadership. The Queen was a role model and touched the lives of so many in her own unique and distinguished way.

Over the course of the Queen’s reign, there was great transformation and progress in the world, yet she served as a constant and reassuring figure during periods of change and provided us all with a sense of security. She was incredibly resolute and principled, and she had a work ethic and a commitment to duty and service that she placed above all other considerations. Even in her 90s and in the days before her death, she was still working and serving our country.

The Queen’s strong and abiding faith in God was the golden thread that guided her work and her commitment to respecting everybody, appreciating difference and serving people. Across Battersea, people will be reflecting on her selfless service and leadership of our country. She visited the constituency on many occasions, including the then children’s home on the Winstanley estate and, of course, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. We all know how passionate she was about animals and their welfare, and that was shown by her patronage of the home. As staff at the home have already said this week, they were so lucky to have had such a valuable relationship with her. But she was not just our Queen, as we can see from all the global contributions and tributes that have come her way.

As I close, my thoughts and prayers are with His Majesty King Charles and the royal family. May Her late Majesty rest in peace and rise in eternal glory. God save the King.

September 10, 2022
Mark Pritchard – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Mark Pritchard, the Conservative MP for The Wrekin, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

I rise to pay tribute to our late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on my behalf and on behalf of all my constituents throughout the Wrekin constituency. Queen Elizabeth visited Shropshire many times over her long reign, and her visits to the Wrekin, in particular, are still remembered with abiding fondness and deep affection: her visit to Wrekin College in 1967, her visit to the 13th-century Butter Cross in Newport in 1981, her visit to Donnington during the Falklands war in 1982, the occasion she passed through High Ercall and nearby villages, and her last visit to the Wrekin, in 2012, when she visited RAF Cosford as part of her diamond jubilee pageant and a huge crowd of over 35,000 people turned out to greet her.

The late Queen Elizabeth was the personification of duty, integrity, selflessness, steadfastness and resoluteness, and always with a superb sense of humour, observation and wit. Yes, that was born out of her own decency and exemplary character, but it was also born out of her deep and abiding Christian faith—something that she quietly attested to throughout her long reign, and that was so often heard in her comforting and unifying Christmas day messages, which we will all miss.

The Wrekin loved the Queen. Shropshire loved the Queen. She will abide in all our hearts and memories. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. Long live the King.

September 9, 2022
Alistair Carmichael – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am grateful for the opportunity to try to articulate the keen and profound sense of loss across the northern isles.

Her Majesty made a number of visits to Orkney and Shetland during her reign, all of which built a real connection between Orcadians and Shetlanders and their monarch. One of the best remembered was in 1960, when she took the royal yacht Britannia to Stronsay and Westray in Orkney. Prince Philip was given the job of driving her round Westray in the most suitable available vehicle, the new 12-seater school bus. It was produced one of the best pictures of Her Majesty that any of us will ever see. She is sitting in the passenger seat, laughing uproariously, while Prince Philip is in the driver’s seat with, shall we say, with a look of grim determination on his face. I do not know exactly what caused that look, but having been there myself with my wife on occasion I can only guess.

Her Majesty visited Shetland in 1981, as its oil came onstream at the Sullom Voe terminal. She opened the terminal—something which was remembered on Shetland, unfortunately, because it was the day the IRA detonated a bomb in the power station there. While we all speak of her quite remarkable record of service, we should not forget that that service often came at personal risk.

Like others, I treasure my moments meeting Her Majesty—very private and special moments. I served as Comptroller of the Household from 2010 to 2013, so I had a walk-on part in the state opening of Parliament. In 2013, we had the misfortune of a state opening which clashed with the first day of the Windsor horse show. When we returned to Buckingham Palace after state opening we were left in no doubt that should that unfortunate diary mismanagement happen in future it would not necessarily be the Windsor horse show that would lose out.

I think back to the very first time I saw Her Majesty in the flesh, when she visited Islay when I was growing up in 1977, as part of her silver jubilee tour. She often visited Islay privately as a guest of the Morrison family, and I pay tribute not just to Her Majesty but to the honourable Mary Morrison, who served for many years as one of her ladies-in-waiting. On that occasion, she visited Bowmore distillery. It was the first time she had visited a distillery, and that visit came back to me in 2014, when I was present as Secretary of State for Scotland at the naming of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. As the carrier was named, a bottle of Bowmore whisky was smashed on its side. The smell of that malt whisky drifted across Rosyth and took me back to that day in 1977. I mention that because Her Majesty wove these threads throughout the lives of so many people, and enriched the fabric of our country. That is why we miss her and why we now pledge our new allegiance to His Majesty the King. God save the King.

September 9, 2022
Stuart Andrew – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Stuart Andrew, the Conservative MP for Pudsey, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

It is with sadness that I offer my tribute to Her late Majesty the Queen on my behalf and that of the people of Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough.

I suppose that the first time the Queen came into my consciousness was when, as a small boy, I was standing outside the house waiting for some lady in a big posh car to go past as she marked her silver jubilee in 1977. From then on, there were many royal occasions—the jubilees, the royal weddings—when we all enjoyed street parties on our estate. I thought about those street parties when the Queen’s 90th birthday was coming up and thought that I had not seen one in our community for some time, so we decided—a group of our friends—to organise one. We were staggered when thousands of people in the community came out to celebrate Her Majesty’s 90th birthday. We also saw that reflected on the Mall recently during the jubilee, when literally hundreds of thousands turned up. Why? Because they respected and loved her; because they recognised that this was a woman of great dedication who wanted to serve her country in the best way that she could, and that she would work to the very last day, as she committed to do all those many years ago.

Last night, a couple of us went up to the Palace, where, again, people were meeting and strangers were talking, all sharing conversations and memories about Her late Majesty the Queen. The British public were showing how much they loved her.

The Queen was there when we needed her most. Many have talked about the pandemic and when our country had those awful terrorist attacks. She has always given warm words and comfort to the victims and their families. We will remember the amazing speech that she made in the hospital in London, when she said that

“they will not change our way of life.”

I do not know about anybody else, but whenever I visit a constituent who is celebrating their 100th birthday, the card from Her Majesty the Queen is front and centre in the living room—of course, and why would it not be? It is something they are so proud to have.

Many have also mentioned schoolchildren asking, “Have you met the Queen?” For many years in this place, I was unable to say that I had, until I was honoured to be appointed as the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household. I remember when I was about to be introduced to her, waiting for those doors to be opened. When they finally did, I realised that I had become a little boy again, standing there with my knees knocking and wondering how I would address Her Majesty. As others have said, she put me at ease and made me feel incredibly welcome.

As Vice-Chamberlain, I had to write the daily reports from Parliament. She liked the gossip, I understand, which is heart-warming. I was also taken hostage at the Palace, when Her Majesty came to open Parliament. I was offered a drink, and was asked whether I would like tea or coffee. One of the officials looked at me and thought, “You look more like a champagne man.” I thought, I am never going to do this again, so why not? It was a big bottle of champagne and I had a good time. A couple of months later there was a general election and I had to do it again. As Her Majesty was leaving Buckingham Palace, she turned to me and said, “You’ll have a good time again, won’t you?”

To conclude, after the awful attacks of 9/11, the Queen said to the people of America:

“Grief is the price we pay for love.”

We all loved her, which is why we are grieving, and we send our thoughts and best wishes to His Majesty the King and his family, and we say, “God save the King.”

September 9, 2022
Emily Thornberry – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Emily Thornberry, the Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for Tatton (Esther McVey).

Queen Elizabeth was just 10 years old when her uncle abdicated and she became heir to the throne. She was just 13 when war broke out, and in the six years that followed we saw the pattern of her whole life to come: standing with her people at home and across the Commonwealth in those dark hours, sharing in their grief when her own uncle fell in service, leading our national celebrations when victory and freedom were finally secured and, throughout the war, setting the perfect example by rolling up her sleeves and doing her bit for the collective effort.

Yet, while the second world war inspired millions to incredible feats and brought out the very best in our country, what we saw in those years from the young Princess Elizabeth was what we would come to understand as her normal. For the next seven decades she continued to set the perfect example of dedicated, selfless, timeless service and to embody the values that unite our people. She continued to share our grief when tragedy struck the nation, whether it was Aberfan or Dunblane or 7/7, when so many people in Islington were killed. She did not buckle when it touched her own family; she continued to stand with us in our darkest and most fearful hours, all the more so when she gave those messages of hope and courage that inspired all of us at the start of the pandemic. She continued to lead our national celebrations right up to the point in recent years when the biggest, most united celebrations of all were to mark her own birthdays and jubilees.

The Queen did all that for us; she lived her life for us. While she may have visited 200 hospitals or 2,000 schools, cut 5,000 ribbons, awarded 20,000 medals and shaken the hands of hundreds of thousands, she never forgot for one moment that although those daily duties were nothing out of the ordinary for her, they were deeply special for everyone she met, and she ensured that each of those individuals would go away with a unique memory of what she had said to them, how she had smiled at them and the interest that she took in their service to the country. For so many people, those encounters with the Queen will be remembered as the greatest moments in their lives.

I know that in Islington at the moment, lists are being compiled of the visits that she made to our borough and stories are being shared of the many times that we had the opportunity to see her and experience a meeting with her. We join today to thank the Queen for nine decades of devoted service, every one of them filled with her setting the right example; filled with giving her people courage, sympathy and joy; filled with making others feel special and doing it all day after day, year after year, right up until the very end. That record of duty would be unfathomable, astonishing and worthy of celebration in this House even if she had been a humble librarian or a long-serving charity volunteer, but to do all that in the pressure of her roles as heir to the throne and Head of State places her public service on a pinnacle that is unmatched in the history of our country and the like of which we will never see again.

On behalf of the Honourable Artillery Company, the Charterhouse and Farringdon Crossrail, all with whom she shared particularly strong links, and on behalf of the people of Islington South and Finsbury, who loved her so dearly, I thank you, ma’am. God save the King.

September 9, 2022
Esther McVey – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Esther McVey, the Conservative MP for Tatton, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

There have been so many wonderful and moving tributes today, it has been a real pleasure to be in the Chamber to listen to them all. With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I will make my tribute through the eyes of the schoolchildren of Tatton.

So many MPs have mentioned the curiosity children have about the late Queen Elizabeth II. The question they ask, particularly in primary and junior schools, is, “Have you met the Queen?” When I say yes there are literally squeals of delight and gasps of disbelief. Uncontainable excitement ripples through the class. Such was the impact that this lady had on people of all ages and in all parts of the country. She loved children and children loved her. And the clatter of questions that followed! “Were you nervous when you met her?” “How was she?” “What’s she like?” “Where did you meet her?” So I try to describe the Queen to them as they sit and listen, eyes wide open.

“Well,” I say, “she was diminutive, yet she was imposing. She was gentle, yet steely. With that powderpuff grey hair, she was radiant and she shone, but it was her eyes that were remarkable and memorable. They were penetrating and bottomless, the knowledge behind them limitless. You could almost feel what she had seen and experienced. You were in the presence of wisdom—and they were kind, too. She was a curious blend, quite disarming and yet incredibly caring. And was I nervous? Without doubt. You’re in the presence of greatness, whose life has spanned war and peace, and that nervousness is amplified by the royal protocol that she lived through and by.

“When you are made a Privy Counsellor and you have steps to take and kneels to bow, there is meticulous choreography—the timing, quick steps, kneels, the precision of words and taking oaths—and the seal of office at Sandringham. It was magical; it was a whirl of rooms and doors opening. It was brevity, but intensity, and as we left we were all handed a packed lunch.” All I can say is that it was thoughtful but simple, no frills—I think it was nutritionally balanced, but there was no fuss whatsoever; there was no bother or nonsense. As deputy Chief Whip, I was also Treasurer of Her Majesty’s Household.

What the Queen loved, and where I met her and spent more time with her, was Windsor Castle, with her horses in her stables, which she absolutely loved. She confided that one of her best memories was the day that Estimate, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. She spoke to her trainers, Nicky Henderson and John Gosden, every week without fail. That was what she loved. I am delighted that the St Leger is going ahead this weekend, not least because the Queen won it in her silver jubilee year with Dunfermline, ridden by Willie Carson, one of her favourite jockeys.

She was kind and, finally, thoughtful. In my final conversation with her, she questioned social media and its impact, and said, “Could anybody these days keep a secret?” She talked about Operation Mincemeat, the deception that fooled Hitler and helped us to win the war, and she said, “Can people keep things to themselves, or do they feel that they’d sooner tell everybody, and maybe spoil what should be done?”

When I leave children, I say, “Have you got discretion? Can you keep a secret? Are you selfless? Can you think of the greater good more than you can think of yourself? And if you can, then the Queen has done her job and her spirit and her qualities will live on in all of us.” God bless the Queen. God save the King.

September 9, 2022
Chris Elmore – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Chris Elmore, the Labour MP for Ogmore, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

It is a privilege to offer the condolences of my constituents to His Majesty the King and to all members of the royal family.

My constituency is privileged to be able to thank Her late Majesty the Queen and, as he was at the time, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales—now, of course, the King—for securing Sony in my constituency. As the managing director of Sony UK told me today, thousands of my constituents have benefited from their direct intervention. The site was opened by the late Queen in 1993 and it was the King in 1974, on a visit to Japan, who said to the then chief executive of Sony, “If you consider putting something in the UK, please put something in my country, Wales.”

I think of Her late Majesty in the forms of fun and friendship. Just like the right hon. Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison), I am frequently asked, whenever I visit a school, be they teenagers or primary schoolchildren, “Have you ever met the Queen?” To which the answer is, “Sort of. I have seen her. I have been at the box in the House of Lords for the Queen’s Speech.” I once was asked, following that question, “Have you ever touched the Queen?” I am not sure who was more shocked, me or the headteacher, who genuinely looked like he was about to faint.

The Queen had a healthy obsession with trees. I recall fondly the talks she held with Sir David Attenborough about the Queen’s Green Canopy—clips have been shown over the past few days—and the work he was doing to talk about delivering that right across our United Kingdom. She joked that “We”—her and Sir David—would not see that tree come to its 50-year life, and they both laughed. It is her humility that so many of us will think of so fondly.

I have had the privilege, in my brief time in this House, to meet King Charles III twice. The first time was five days after I was elected in a byelection in 2016. I was lined up by the secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant and told, “Just stand there, Mr Elmore. He’ll be along shortly.” When he arrived and came out of the car, I was the second person to greet him. He said to me, “You’re the new one.” I was quite nervous and I said, “Yes, your Royal Highness.” He said, “I wouldn’t worry about it; I’m terribly nice.” I think that common touch is what he has picked up from the late Queen and I know he will go on to serve this country and the Commonwealth well. God bless and keep the Queen, and all who mourn her. God save the King.

September 9, 2022
Andrew Murrison – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Andrew Murrison, the Conservative MP for South West Wiltshire, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

I rise with the deep and profound condolences of my constituents in South West Wiltshire. A good and gracious lady has been taken from us, and we are all the poorer for that. A lady who has shaped the contours of our national life for 70 years has gone, but her legacy endures. If anyone doubts that, just look at the pictures of His Majesty, in the hour of his grief, greeting the crowds that have gathered outside Buckingham Palace today.

Mr Deputy Speaker, grown men don’t cry, do they? Well, they do. I have cried twice in my adult life, once when my father died and once last night, for a woman that I had only met once—at the aforementioned gin and tonic opportunity that a number of hon. and right hon. Members have cited today, although unfortunately in my case there was no gin and tonic. The reason it is so profound is that, for most of us, for all of our lives she has been a constant—somebody who has always been there; a rock; a stable place; someone to look to and to admire. Like many colleagues around the House today, when I go to primary schools, I am asked two questions usually, one more difficult to answer than the other: “Have you met the Queen?”, and, “How much are you paid?”

Last night I called my mother, because I knew she would be upset, and she was. In June 1953, she and many of her generation lined the streets of London to watch another young woman go to her coronation. That was a profound moment for her and an extraordinary moment in the life of our nation. Very soon we will do something similar again, under altogether more sombre circumstances. Her sense of profound loss is certainly replicated right across this land, by people of all generations and, if I may say so, as I remain a member of His Majesty’s armed forces, particularly by members of the armed forces of this country, who have lost their commander in chief, many of whom live in the towns and villages around Salisbury plain that I have the honour and privilege to represent.

In 878, Alfred the Great secured the future of what became Wessex and ultimately the nation state we know today. “The Great” is a descriptor that should not be used lightly. Queen Elizabeth II is the benchmark for monarchs in this age and in ages past. She is Elizabeth the Great. As the Elizabethan age closes and the Carolean era dawns, we have to understand that it will look and feel different. We will look and feel different. But difference will bring renewal and it will bring opportunity, as His Majesty has demonstrated today.

Rest well, your Majesty. God save the King.

September 9, 2022