Category: Royal Family

Owen Thompson – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Owen Thompson, the SNP MP for Midlothian, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

I am here to offer the condolences of the people of Midlothian on this very sad occasion. Among the ebb and flow of people, politics and power, Queen Elizabeth has always been there, a steadfast figure in our shared history. With quiet dignity, she made her mark on momentous global events but, perhaps more importantly, she touched people in a very personal way. Across these isles, the Queen is part of the backdrop of the stories of all our lives.

The Queen brought grace, warmth, dignity and humour to her role, which in turn brought her respect from people across political divides. Her passing brings an unsettling time, a time of grief and reflection, and for many a reminder of loved ones lost. People across the nations may understandably feel like they have lost a loved one of their own, yet preparations are already under way and the duty occupies the new King Charles III, showing that, in the immortal words of Terry Pratchett, it is true that the only thing known to travel faster than ordinary light is monarchy.

Regardless of our views on monarchy, the Queen is respected for her remarkable dignity, with which she held herself throughout trying times. We appreciate the twinkle in her eye, her humour, her love of animals and the humility with which she held a far-from-humble office.

She was the first Queen Elizabeth in Scotland, of course, with a lineage stretching back to the Stuart dynasty and Mary, Queen of Scots. It is said that in Scotland, hosting barbecues in the hills of Balmoral, was where she was happiest. Older generations will fondly remember the royal tour of Midlothian back in 1961, where she was out and about across the county, viewing aspects of everyday life and visiting Rosslyn chapel, the rural housing schemes at Temple, the carpet factory in Bonnyrigg and the Loanhead memorial park. There was no standing room left in the streets of Dalkeith at that time, with crowds climbing on the roof of the bus station to seek a glimpse of the young queen.

More recently, she was warmly welcomed back to Midlothian to the reopening of the Borders railway, unveiling a plaque at the station in Newtongrange, where she was welcomed with a wonderful performance by the Newtongrange Silver Band, who express their condolences at this time. People from all walks of life in Midlothian wish to convey their respect, to make it clear just how fondly the Queen is remembered. Condolences have been expressed online by community groups across Midlothian, in addition to Midlothian’s lord lieutenant and provost, who have already held local tributes and, in line with many other places, opened up books of condolence across council venues in Midlothian to allow people to pay their own tributes.

As a previous member and current chair of the all-party parliamentary group for the Boys’ Brigade, I have always been keenly aware of Her Majesty’s role as the organisation’s patron. I know that all in the Boys’ Brigade world, the entire Boys’ Brigade family, wish to pass on their thoughts and prayers at this time.

We are all now getting our heads around the changes that this will make to the basic things that we all took for granted. The ground has shifted beneath our feet. The lads at my local post office in Loanhead said, “Every day we send hundreds of letters and parcels bearing the Queen’s head.” This will now be no more. May she rest in peace.

September 9, 2022
Robin Walker – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Robin Walker, the Conservative MP for Worcester, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

As someone with the honour of representing the faithful city of Worcester, I want to pass on the love, prayers and good wishes of constituents and faith and civic leaders to all the royal family, especially His Majesty the King, at this sad historic moment. I can associate myself with the remarks containing so many superlatives that we have heard from across the House today, but I want to focus on two things: Her Majesty’s faith and her profound connection with children, which the hon. Member for Llanelli (Dame Nia Griffith) spoke about.

Her late Majesty swore at her coronation to be a defender of the faith. In so many messages over the decades, she not only defended but enhanced and gently protected the role of faith in our society, not only for her own Church of England but, as we have heard from people of all faiths and denominations, for people across the whole United Kingdom of all faiths and none.

When Princess Elizabeth first visited Worcester in 1951, she was already the mother of two small children, and the beautiful princess was greeted by flower girls and a parade of Scouts and Guides outside the cathedral. As a lifelong patron of the Guides and a former Girl Guide herself, as well as the fount of so many Queen’s Scout awards, she has inspired millions of young people.

She returned as Queen in 1957 and visited New Road, the most beautiful cricket ground in England, with her consort Prince Philip, touring the boundary in an open top Land Rover to the cheers of 5,000 local schoolchildren. After more visits in the 1980s when she distributed Maundy money and celebrated the anniversary of the city’s charter, her final visit to Worcester and the proudest moment of my life was at her diamond jubilee. Her Majesty opened the Hive library, a joint city and university library that is the first of its kind in Europe and a fabulous repository of children’s books. I was fortunate enough to be in the welcoming party for that visit, and to join some wonderful volunteers from local charities and children from local schools at the event and in being presented to Her Majesty the Queen. What struck me, as so many have already reported, was her smile, her bright humorous eyes, her genuine interest in the people to whom she was introduced and the instant connection she formed with children.

Most recently, children in schools up and down our country were able to celebrate and learn about our Her Majesty at her remarkable platinum jubilee. They joined children from successive generations in singing, dancing and making wonderful art to celebrate a jubilee of this longest serving sovereign. She was described by one of our former Prime Ministers as a matriarch, and of course that is right, but I think we have also lost the world’s favourite granny.

I join my right hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Andrew Stephenson) and Paddington Bear in simply saying on behalf of us all, “Thank you, Ma’am, for everything”.

September 9, 2022
Nia Griffith – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Dame Nia Griffith, the Labour MP for Llanelli, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to speak in tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I begin by expressing my most sincere condolences to her family on my behalf and on behalf of people across the constituency of Llanelli. Our thoughts are particularly with King Charles III, Her late Majesty’s other children, her grandchildren and their families. For them, this is a deeply personal loss. While they have always had to share the Queen—their mother and grandmother—with the public, that is particularly hard at this time of immense grief. For them, too, this follows so closely from the loss of their father and grandfather, the late Prince Philip.

I would like to set on the record my huge appreciation for the way that the Queen carried out her duties, shouldering an enormous workload and responsibility from a young age for a full 70 years, including working right into this week appointing the new Prime Minister. The Queen was exemplary in her dedication and commitment—an example to all of us in public life—but she went above and beyond that, taking a personal interest in matters and showing real empathy with people.

In Wales we were privileged to receive the Queen’s visits on many occasions. She has been with us for important moments in our nation’s history, including to open the National Assembly for Wales in 1999 and, last year, to open the sixth Session of the Senedd.

At the opening of the Senedd, a young woman from my constituency, Ffion Gwyther, was tasked with presenting Her Majesty with a bouquet of flowers. As Members can imagine, as that moment approached, Ffion was very nervous—but she need not have worried. The Queen looked at her and immediately understood the situation, putting her at ease by saying gently, “Are those flowers for me? How beautiful. They match my outfit.” That is a moment that Ffion will never forget, and it is just one of countless examples of how the Queen was always so kind and thoughtful in her approach and knew exactly how to handle the occasion and put a young woman at ease. During her reign, she will have touched millions in the same way.

It was not only on happy occasions that the Queen visited Wales. She will always be remembered for her visit to Aberfan in the aftermath of the terrible tragedy of 1966, when a slag heap buried the school. Speaking about her visit, Jeff Edwards, the last child to be rescued from the school, stressed the community’s appreciation, saying that people

“felt comfort from the fact that the Queen, who was the head of state, had come to a small mining village and had shown direct interest and concern for her subjects who had gone through this enormous event.”

The Queen’s role goes far beyond Wales and the UK to the Commonwealth. There we have seen huge changes and a complex transition from the empire to today’s Commonwealth. With such a range of nations, each with its own particular circumstances, it is no wonder that tensions have sometimes arisen, but we must recognise the crucial role that the Queen has played in maintaining a unique family of nations. There is no doubt that her wisdom and professionalism, her personal rapport with individuals and the very high esteem in which she is held have been pivotal in helping to smooth that transition and keep the Commonwealth together.

Going forward, the best tribute we can give is to follow her excellent example and to try to serve our communities with the same dedication and fortitude that she showed throughout her life. As we turn to the future, long live the King.

September 9, 2022
Stephen Crabb – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Stephen Crabb, the Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

It is a pleasure to follow the excellent speech from the hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Rushanara Ali).

I rise on behalf of all my constituents in Preseli Pembrokeshire to convey our condolences to His Majesty King Charles III and all members of the royal family at this sad time, and to say thank you for a wonderful, long and full life, and an extraordinary reign, which has been a blessing to our nation for seven decades.

Queen Elizabeth II was loved and respected all across the historic county of Pembrokeshire, where her family of course had ancestral roots through the Tudor line. We enjoyed her visits to Pembrokeshire—to St Davids cathedral, and to so many of the excellent charities and community groups that we have in the constituency.

For millions of adults, and certainly for children, whom we meet on constituency school visits, Queen Elizabeth absolutely had something of the mystique and magic that we perhaps associate with an earlier Queen Elizabeth or with a Disney fairy-tale queen. But as we have heard so often today, her reign was also extraordinarily human and personal, shaped as it was by her amazing capacity to touch people at a very individual level—to raise their self-esteem and to touch their hearts in a very special way, which left lasting, lifelong memories.

For now, the joy that Queen Elizabeth gave to the nation—to people she met in all our constituencies—gives way to grief and sadness. In time we will remember her reign with joy once again, but in the meantime, we ask God to bless her and to save the King.

September 9, 2022
Rushanara Ali – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Rushanara Ali, the Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

On behalf of my constituents, I rise to pay tribute to Her Majesty the Queen.

We mourn the passing of an icon. She was admired across the world and touched our lives in so many positive ways. The Queen was a constant example of service, of duty, of wisdom and of dedication to her people, her country and the Commonwealth. These civic virtues are needed now more than ever. She began her life of service as a child and worked until the final days of her life.

The tone was set during world war two when the then King and Queen chose to stay in London during the blitz and the young Princess Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service. When their home, Buckingham Palace, was bombed, the Queen Mother famously said that she could now look the east end in the face. Ever since then, east-enders have embraced the Queen and her family with a particular bond of love and loyalty.

Of course, today’s east end is a very different place. It is more diverse and more connected to the rest of the world and, in particular, the Commonwealth countries. Her Majesty reimagined Britain’s post-colonial place in the world, and the Commonwealth has grown to 54 nations and nearly 2.5 billion people.

I can personally relate to the story of the Commonwealth, as I was born in a Commonwealth country, Bangladesh, that joined in 1972. I remember watching with pride as the Queen visited that very new country with Prince Philip in 1983. Her state visit was a big moment for a new nation. It was a time and a moment that made us feel proud to be British, and it made us feel that we belonged not only to this country but to the Commonwealth family. Across the Commonwealth, people remember when the Queen came to town with a great sense of warmth and affection.

Here at home, I had the honour of receiving the Queen at the Royal London Hospital in my constituency when its new facilities were opened. Hospitals are the heart of our national life and were the epicentre of coping with the pandemic. The Queen’s words during the pandemic were necessary to give hope and comfort when constituencies like mine were hit so hard.

Other Members have mentioned the Olympic ceremony, one of the highlights of which was when it seemed as though Her Majesty and her most loyal servant, James Bond, were parachuting into the Olympic stadium in London’s east end. We pride ourselves on being the coolest part of the country, and Her Majesty made us the coolest place on earth with that stunt. On behalf of my constituents, my thoughts are with her children, her grandchildren, her wider family, and her heir and successor, His Majesty King Charles III.

Her Majesty was unique. She radiated warmth and she embodied decency. We will never see her like again. We will never know such a paragon of civic virtue and a shining beacon of public service. May she rest in peace. Long live the King.

September 9, 2022
Alex Chalk – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Alex Chalk, the Conservative MP for Cheltenham, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

I pay tribute to the extraordinarily warm and moving tribute paid by the right hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Angela Rayner).

Queen Elizabeth II famously referred to her late husband as her “strength and stay”, but although she would never have claimed it for herself, it was she who was the strength and stay of an entire nation and, indeed, the Commonwealth. The constancy and humble commitment to duty were the hallmarks of her life. She embodied the values that are the best of our country. In a world of increasing noise and self-promotion, she provided that counterpoint of quiet poise and dignity.

We in Cheltenham are proud of a lifetime’s connection with Queen Elizabeth II. It was as a young princess that she came to our town. She gave her name to Princess Elizabeth Way, which remains a major Cheltenham thoroughfare, and planted an oak tree in 1951 to mark its completion. Later that same year, she was at the races—the Cheltenham gold cup—with her mother.

History does not relate which Cheltenham event she enjoyed more, opening the road or going to the races. We may have our suspicions, but she was far too professional ever to let on.

Prince Philip was back in 1957 to open an extension to what is now the University of Gloucestershire, and in 2004 the Queen was in Cheltenham to open GCHQ, or “the doughnut” as we refer to it. Indeed, she was a strong supporter of the intelligence agencies and unveiled the plaque at GCHQ’s first London home in 2019.

She had a quick mind, as many have observed, and was very much up to speed on current events. In Cheltenham in 2004, when she observed the magnificent hanging baskets that then decorated the front of the municipal offices, she recalled a recent media story about a hanging basket landing on someone’s head. She noted that Cheltenham’s display was so magnificent that it could wipe out the entire council.

Like many people, I sat down with my children, aged 10 and eight, yesterday and tried to convey the scale of what had happened. Children cannot and probably should not bear, as we do, the aching pain of this loss but, as we mourn, let us explain to them what Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II meant to this nation. Just as Her Majesty the Queen dedicated herself to the service of our country in 1952, let us dedicate ourselves to immortalising her values, her duty, her integrity, her selflessness, her country and her kindness.

The Queen was a woman of faith, and I hope she approached the end with peace. Yesterday, as her death was announced, I thought of her family and those close by as, in the words of a young RAF pilot in 1941, she

“slipped the surly bonds of Earth…and touched the face of God.”

God save the King.

September 9, 2022
Angela Rayner – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Angela Rayner, the Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

I thank colleagues across the House for their moving words today. Like other Members, I have found the outpouring of affection for our Queen, both from our shores and across the world, deeply heartwarming. I hope the royal family find solace in that over the coming days and weeks.

I have always taken great inspiration from our Queen. She was a woman who found herself in a position of leadership at such a young age; a woman who threw herself into service as not just the most recognisable, but the most admired of global leaders; a woman who steered us through loved times of joy and times of darkness, and who always drew on her own experience and inner strength to help those who most needed it. I am in awe of the way she took on that unimaginable responsibility. She got on with the job, she never stopped, and she has set an example for us all.

One of the proudest moments of my life and for my family was when I was sworn into the Privy Council; these kinds of things do not happen to a girl like me. It was surreal to meet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II herself via Zoom. She could put anyone at ease, adapting to the challenges, the circumstances and the change. Most of all, though, she was a loving grandmother. As a grandmother myself, I know and understand the complete love that she had for her family. Her children and her grandchildren were the centre of her life, and I know the whole House shares in both their pain and their pride. To us, she was our Queen, our national figurehead, and the greatest and longest serving monarch in British history. To them, she was also Granny. The loss of such a loving presence will be heartbreaking and my heart goes out to them.

Her Majesty the late Queen was a constant figure of strength, integrity and service throughout our lives. She was an inspiration to women across the world, with complete devotion to her duty, her family and her country. She set an example of leadership for women everywhere; the outpouring of condolences from leaders across the world is testament to that. More recently, we will never forget how she guided us through the despair and loneliness of the pandemic. Her values of public service and dignity never wavered.

It is appropriate today that I speak from the Back Benches, because our Queen was greatly loved and admired by the people of my constituency. She visited Greater Manchester many times and was always welcomed with love by the local community. She was last in Manchester a year ago to visit “Coronation Street”, where the cast greeted her at the Rovers Return pub to celebrate the show’s 60th anniversary. It is just three months since the streets of Ashton, Droylsden and Failsworth were decked with Union Jack flags as we came together to celebrate the platinum jubilee. Our local papers were proud and our local community was proud. She is now gone, but she will be forever missed and always in our hearts. May she rest in peace. God save the King.

September 9, 2022
Tobias Ellwood – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Tobias Ellwood, the Independent MP for Bournemouth East, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

These are indeed the saddest of times for us to gather here today to pay tribute to Her late Majesty the Queen. I suspect that we will all remember where we were yesterday when the news came that doctors were gravely concerned about Her Majesty’s health. Our world was suddenly put on hold, and then came the announcement that we had dreaded hearing. Our rock, our stability, the one person who came to symbolise the very best of Britain, was no longer with us.

Her Majesty’s sense of duty to serve was especially appreciated by our armed forces. That phrase “for Queen and country” is not just a catchphrase; it is the allegiance that you pledge when you join Her Majesty’s armed forces. The Queen was our commander-in-chief, and, having served herself, she was only too aware of the sacrifices that personnel were willing to make, all done in her name.

This emptiness that we now feel is a testament to the admiration, the respect and the affection that we all had for her. Indeed, we have not known a Britain without her. Perhaps we can consider ourselves fortunate that the nation was able to come together this year to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee, and celebrate with her a most incredible life of service, from the street parties that took place across the country—including those in my constituency—to that wonderful celebration outside Buckingham Palace, when the Queen and Paddington Bear stole the show.

On only one occasion did I have cause to write formally to Her Majesty, and that was to ask her if she would agree to Parliament’s Clock Tower being renamed the Elizabeth Tower, to mark her diamond jubilee 10 years ago. I was truly honoured when she accepted. The name was formally changed, and we now have a constant parliamentary landmark honouring Her Majesty.

As we now mourn the person we knew, we should reflect on the fact that the constant is also the monarchy itself: the British monarchy that has matured over centuries and allowed our great country to advance, to mature, to thrive as a democracy. Her loss does of course leave a mark—it marks the end of an era—but in our new King, who is well prepared to serve, the monarchy will continue to play its role in how our state functions. So yes, we do mourn the loss of our Queen, but we also transfer our faith and allegiance to our new King, His Majesty Charles III. Long live the King.

September 9, 2022
Valerie Vaz – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Valerie Vaz, the Labour MP for Walsall South, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for the loyal constituency of Newark (Robert Jenrick). It falls to our generation to tell of the passing of our gracious sovereign, and the passing of a platinum Elizabethan age. As a young woman, she had responsibility thrust on her, without a manual. She wrote her own story, and in doing so, wrote the story of our nation—a story through which we have all lived. We have known her as a young woman who actively supported the war effort and danced in the street when the war was over, and we saw her jump out of a helicopter in the Olympic ceremony in 2012; that showed us her sense of humour, and showed us that we were more than just medals.

I was in Walsall yesterday when I heard the sad news of Queen Elizabeth’s passing. I know that my constituents in Walsall South are grieving; the owner of Fortune Cookie, our local Chinese takeaway, was in tears. In every school that I and every other Member has visited, the question has always been asked: “Have you met the Queen?” Launer, based in Walsall South, makes her handbags. I hope that the royal link will continue, especially now that we know, thanks to a refugee from Peru, that she used to keep marmalade sandwiches in her handbag to keep her going.

As a lawyer, all I ever knew was “the Queen’s Bench Division” and “Queen’s Counsel”. That, like our stamps and notes, will change to herald a new era.

Having been born in Aden to Goan parents, I had never imagined that I would meet Queen Elizabeth; but I did—in the Gallery in the other place, in the British Museum, and in the Privy Council. Those who have had an audience with her can testify to her wisdom and generosity of spirit. She had the ability to speak with people as though she had known them forever, whether she was talking to a winning jockey or a little girl with a posy, or working to the end to welcome her 15th Prime Minister. Like all of us, she knew that life is a rollercoaster, but she never complained, and only ever mentioned one year as an “annus horribilis”.

Our Queen carried out her duties with dignity, grace and love for us and her country, yet also embraced different countries and cultures through the Commonwealth, always respecting differences, dealing with changes, and acknowledging past mistakes, knowing that life and history move on. Queen Elizabeth reminded us that we are human beings first and members of a race second, and that our duty is to help each other make this world a better place and live in peace—just as she said in her first broadcast. How we will miss those quiet, reassuring messages to the nation, at Christmas and at difficult times.

Duty, service, Defender of the Faith and love for her United Kingdom: a constant that brought us all together. The bright full moon shone down last night, and there was a rainbow over Windsor castle, which reminded us of God’s promise to His faithful. We pray for her grieving family to get through this difficult time, and especially for King Charles III. Eternal rest grant unto Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor: may she rest in peace.

September 9, 2022
Robert Jenrick – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Robert Jenrick, the Conservative MP for Newark, in the House of Commons on 9 September 2022.

I am grateful as a Front Bencher for being permitted to speak from the Back Benches—though in my case it might be hard to keep up. I am aware that my appointment was, along with those of others, one of the last acts of Her late Majesty. That thought will lie with me every day that I go about my duties, because she really was the last of a generation that has now passed—a generation marked by stoicism, humility, modesty and service. Those qualities, too often neglected in our politics and our public life, are ones that I, like all others in this House, seek to emulate.

I am here to represent my constituents in the loyal borough of Newark-on-Trent—loyal because in May 1646, we were the last town to hold out in the English civil war. The town surrendered only when the King—a forebear of Her Majesty’s, and another Charles—said that we must. At the end of the war, the town was racked with disease and pestilence, but all contemporary accounts show that no one regretted their decision to stand by the monarch. That shows that even in a hereditary monarchy, and certainly in our modern democracy, the loyalty of the people to the Crown is not something that any monarch can take for granted; it has to be earned.

From the speeches made from all parts of the Chamber today, we can see that Her late Majesty the Queen, over the course of her long and remarkable reign, earned the respect and admiration—indeed, the love—of her people. She really has been the golden thread that has run through the warp and weft of our national story. My grandmother stood in the crowd on the Mall and watched the Queen and her family celebrate on VE Day. My dad watched the coronation—as did others who have spoken—on a small, rented television set, and marvelled at her beauty. Afterwards, he created a bonfire on the street, and it took the council years to fill in the pothole, so some things clearly never change.

I met Her late Majesty only a few times. Once, I did so on Zoom, as other Members have said they did. It was a Privy Council meeting. As has happened to us all many times during the pandemic, the Zoom failed. Out of the darkness, a voice suddenly emerged. It was Her late Majesty the Queen, and she said, “Well, thank goodness someone kept a landline.”

Just the other day, I went with my family, including my children, who are the great-grandchildren of holocaust survivors, to see Anne Frank’s house. My children, who had gone ahead of us on the tour, came back to me and said that in the secret annexe ahead, among the images on the walls were photos of Her late Majesty the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, and her sister Princess Margaret. I later researched with my daughters why that was. Otto Frank, Anne’s father, is recorded as saying later in life that Anne Frank loved the royals—but that was not the only reason. He wanted to put some photos on the wall that would give the children strength, and Anne Frank also said that the beautiful smile kept her going. May the Queen rest in peace, and God save the King.

September 9, 2022