The comments made by Oliver Heald on 9 April 2021.
Ian Gibson, Labour MP of years gone by has sadly passed away. A good MP and one prepared to make common cause across Party.
Category: Speeches
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Owen Paterson – 2021 Statement Following Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
The statement made by Owen Paterson on 9 April 2021.
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was an extraordinary public servant.
A naval hero, Mentioned in Despatches for service at the Battle of Cape Matapan.
Inspired generations of young people through Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.
My deepest condolences to HM The Queen & Royal Family.
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Greg Hands – 2021 Statement Following Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
The statement made by Greg Hands, the Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham, on 9 April 2021.
First time I met Prince Philip was, in retrospect, very funny.
Elected MP for Chelsea, May 2010, I was in the receiving line at the Chelsea Flower Show, a few days after.
I had practised my bow, nervously.
On performing it, he looked at me & asked:
“Are you new?”
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Barack Obama – 2021 Statement Following Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
The statement made by Barack Obama, the former President of the United States, on 9 April 2021.
When we first met His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, he and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had already been on the world stage for more than half a century — welcoming leaders like Churchill and Kennedy; Mandela and Gorbachev. As two Americans unaccustomed to palaces and pomp, we didn’t know what to expect.
We shouldn’t have worried. The Queen and Prince Philip immediately put us at ease with their grace and generosity, turning a ceremonial occasion into something far more natural, even comfortable. Prince Philip in particular was kind and warm, with a sharp wit and unfailing good humor. It was our first introduction to the man behind the title, and in the years since, our admiration for him has only grown. We will miss him dearly.
Like the Queen, Prince Philip saw world wars and economic crises come and go. The radio gave way to the television, and the television to the internet. And through it all, he helped provide steady leadership and guiding wisdom. It has long been said that the United States and Great Britain have a special relationship — one that has been maintained and strengthened not just by presidents and prime ministers but by the Royal Family that has outlasted them all.
At the Queen’s side or trailing the customary two steps behind, Prince Philip showed the world what it meant to be a supportive husband to a powerful woman. Yet he also found a way to lead without demanding the spotlight — serving in combat in World War II, commanding a frigate in the Royal Navy, and tirelessly touring the world to champion British industry and excellence. Through his extraordinary example, he proved that true partnership has room for both ambition and selflessness — all in service of something greater.
As the world mourns his loss, we send our warmest wishes and deepest sympathies to the Queen, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; and everyone who knew and loved this remarkable man.
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Zarah Sultana – 2021 Statement Following Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
The statement made by Zarah Sultana, the Labour MP for Coventry South, on 9 April 2021.
Condolences to the Windsor family on the loss of their husband, father and grandfather Philip – and thoughts with everyone whose life he touched.
Far too many families have experienced the loss of a loved one this past year, and we mourn for each of them.
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Keir Starmer – 2021 Statement Following Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 9 April 2021.
The United Kingdom has lost an extraordinary public servant in Prince Philip.
Prince Philip dedicated his life to our country – from a distinguished career in the Royal Navy during the Second World War to his decades of service as the Duke of Edinburgh.
However, he will be remembered most of all for his extraordinary commitment and devotion to The Queen.
For more than seven decades, he has been at her side. Their marriage has been a symbol of strength, stability and hope, even as the world around them changed – most recently during the pandemic. It was a partnership that inspired millions in Britain and beyond.
My thoughts are with The Queen, the Royal Family and the British people as our nation comes together to mourn and remember the life of Prince Philip.
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Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Statement Following Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
The statement made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 9 April 2021.
On behalf of the people of Scotland, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to Her Majesty the Queen and the rest of the royal family.
Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time and their grief is shared by people across the country.
The Duke of Edinburgh had deep and longstanding ties to Scotland, attending school here at Gordonstoun and regularly holidaying at Balmoral Castle.
From his patronage of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, to his close association with the University of Edinburgh as Chancellor for over 50 years and his commitments to countless charities and organisations, Prince Philip’s long contribution to public life in Scotland will leave a profound mark on its people.
Online Books of Condolence will open in the coming days to allow people to pay their respects. In line with current restrictions, the royal household has requested that members of the public do not leave floral tributes or gather at the Palace of Holyroodhouse of Balmoral Castle at this time.
The Palace has suggested that people could donate to charity instead, if they wish to do so.
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Joe Biden – 2021 Statement Following Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
The statement made by Joe Biden, the President of the United States, on 9 April 2021.
On behalf of all the people of the United States, we send our deepest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the entire Royal Family, and all the people of the United Kingdom on the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Over the course of his 99-year life, he saw our world change dramatically and repeatedly. From his service during World War II, to his 73 years alongside the Queen, and his entire life in the public eye — Prince Philip gladly dedicated himself to the people of the UK, the Commonwealth, and to his family. The impact of his decades of devoted public service is evident in the worthy causes he lifted up as patron, in the environmental efforts he championed, in the members of the Armed Forces that he supported, in the young people he inspired, and so much more. His legacy will live on not only through his family, but in all the charitable endeavors he shaped.
Jill and I are keeping the Queen and Prince Philip’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in our hearts during this time.
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Andrew Adonis – 2021 Comments on the Situation in Northern Ireland
The comments made by Andrew Adonis on 9 April 2021.
The best way to avoid rapidly accelerating tension in Northern Ireland is to have no border controls between Britain and Northern Ireland and no border controls between Northern Ireland and Ireland. That means single market membership for the whole UK.
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Boris Johnson – 2021 Statement Following Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
The statement made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 9 April 2021.
It was with great sadness that a short time ago I received word from Buckingham Palace that His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has passed away at the age of 99.
Prince Philip earned the affection of generations here in the United Kingdom, across the Commonwealth and around the world.
He was the longest serving consort in history, one of the last surviving people in this country to have served in the second world war at Cape Matapan, where he was mentioned in despatches for bravery and in the invasion of Sicily, where he saved his ship by his quick thinking and from that conflict he took an ethic of service that he applied throughout the unprecedented changes of the post war era.
Like the expert carriage driver that he was he helped to steer the royal family and the monarchy so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life.
He was an environmentalist, and a champion of the natural world long before it was fashionable.
With his Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme he shaped and inspired the lives of countless young people and at literally tens of thousands of events he fostered their hopes and encouraged their ambitions.
We remember the Duke for all of this and above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty The Queen.
Not just as her consort, by her side every day of her reign, but as her husband, her “strength and stay”, of more than 70 years.
And it is to Her Majesty, and her family, that our nation’s thoughts must turn today.
Because they have lost not just a much-loved and highly respected public figure, but a devoted husband and a proud and loving father, grandfather and, in recent years, great-grandfather.
Speaking on their golden wedding anniversary, Her Majesty said that our country owed her husband “a greater debt than he would ever claim or we shall ever know” and I am sure that estimate is correct.
So we mourn today with Her Majesty The Queen we offer our condolences to her and to all her family and we give thanks, as a nation and a Kingdom, for the extraordinary life and work of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.