Tag: Speeches

Jack McConnell – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale)

The tribute made by Jack McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale, in the House of Lords on 9 September 2022.

My Lords, I echo the thanks and congratulations of the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, to the Front-Bench speakers, who all spoke so eloquently and movingly for us today. I have no wish to duplicate or repeat what they said; I just want to add a few remarks of my own.

Very few of us will be lucky enough to pass away in the place that we love the most, but we saw this week, after such a life of service, our Queen deservedly pass away in a place that she loved perhaps more than any other. That must have brought her, her family and her staff incredible solace. Balmoral was a very special place to the Queen. It was a place where she not only conducted official duties but was able to relax and have fun with official visitors and with family and friends.

Like the most reverend Primate, some of us have had the incredible privilege of enjoying those barbecues—not at Sandringham, in my case, but at Balmoral, where she would pretend to race with her staff up through the hills to the cottage where the barbecues took place. She was jokingly racing—she would always say to me that she knew that they were never going to try to pass her, but she had to pretend to be part of the race anyway and get there first. She would roll up her sleeves and help set the fire, set the table and clear up afterwards. It was somewhere where she really felt at home. As First Minister, I enjoyed those moments more than I ever expected to. My nerves went after the first year and, as the years went by, we enjoyed sharing stories and experiences.

I recall in particular when the Queen told a story about two American tourists, who had been on a bus trip and had wandered round the back of Balmoral to the rose garden, where she was tending the roses with her headscarf and sunglasses on. Of course, they did not recognise her. They broke into conversation: they asked her what it was like to work for the Queen and whether the Queen never tended the roses herself. She played along with it for five minutes or so, and they were very grateful for the opportunity to hear so much about the life of the Queen from one of her staff. They went back round to the bus to leave Balmoral, and she very quickly nipped into the kitchen, took her headscarf and sunglasses off, went out the front door and waved goodbye to the bus, only to see these two American tourists looking out the window, nudging everybody and saying that they had just spoken to her in the garden. That great sense of humour and fun was remarkable, and it was a privilege to have seen it up close.

I also appreciated, as I am absolutely certain previous and current First Ministers in the devolved Governments have, her interest in, and the time spent with her discussing, the way in which devolution was developing in the United Kingdom and the issues at play, good and bad, in our devolved nations.

We have heard a lot this week about consistency. Although her consistency was important, it was also very important that she was able to change and adapt with the times as society changed over the decades she served us. Her ability to embrace that change was, for me, just as important as the consistency of her values.

Her relationship with Scotland did not begin in 1999, but her relationship with Scotland informed her ability to embrace the constitutional changes that took place that year and to show real empathy, respect and support for the new institutions, not just in Edinburgh but in Cardiff and Belfast too. She met the new Cabinet in 1999 and she embodied the positive celebrations that we had in those early days. Crucially, in 2002, during that Golden Jubilee, she came to the Scottish Parliament again and reminded us of the importance of the long-term goal, helping us steady the ship after those rocky first three years and giving us a lead by saying that, if you serve the people, you will get there in the end. That made a huge difference to the Parliament and to Scotland at the time.

She understood that the UK was four nations but, more than that, she understood the Commonwealth—that tapestry of nations that she did so much to nurture and support. I was amazed to get a text today at 7 am. This time last week, I was in Maganga Secondary School in Salima, in rural Malawi—a school where none of the girls had ever visited a big city or seen a television. The head teacher sent me a text this morning which reads: “On behalf of Maganga School, staff and students, I would like to sincerely express our sadness upon hearing about the death of the Queen, Queen Elizabeth II. As a school, we are very sorry for that great loss. She was our Queen, and a great personality to us all. May the good Lord be with the bereaved family.” That is the mark of the impact that she had around the world, not just for leaders, not just for history, but right now, today, in some of the poorest villages in Malawi and elsewhere.

Finally, I want to recall her kindness to my family and my staff, and her commitment to her own family—remember, she was a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother, and her family will be grieving desperately this weekend. I thank her for her support, and know that she would want us to give full support to King Charles III; I thank her for her service; I thank her personally for those treasured moments that I have. We are poorer for her passing, but we are richer and stronger for her life.

September 12, 2022
Michael Forsyth – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Lord Forsyth of Drumlean)

The tribute made by Michael Forsyth, Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, in the House of Lords on 9 September 2022.

My Lords, I begin by congratulating my noble friend Lady Williams on her appointment as Chief Whip. I am very sad that her first duties should be in connection with this sad news, but we look forward to great things from her.

My Lords, I am lost for words. Having listened to the fantastic tribute made by the new Leader of the House—what a tremendous 24 or 48 hours he has had—and to those from the Leader of the Opposition, the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, from the noble Lord, Lord Newby, from the noble and learned Lord, Lord Judge, on the Cross Benches, and in particular the contribution of the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury. There is very little I can say that is new to encapsulate what we are all feeling at this present time. However, I would like to express and extend my sympathy to His Majesty the King and members of the Royal Family on this day of great sadness but also thankfulness.

I do not know if I am alone in experiencing feelings of bereavement and sadness that quite took me by surprise yesterday evening. I found myself hugely emotional, and I think many people in the country felt the same, on hearing the dreadful news. I think we all secretly hoped that the Queen would go on forever—a view that was expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Newby, and by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Judge, earlier. However, I would like to concentrate on the thankfulness rather than the sadness: thankfulness for the example, the dedication, the stability, the love and the leadership that Queen Elizabeth gave to our country and the Commonwealth. As we heard today, the thousands of tributes from every corner of the globe talk of duty, dignity, humility, integrity, humanity, compassion, kindness and faith, which were indeed the hallmarks of our late Queen and shone brightly in everything she did.

As Secretary of State for Scotland I was privileged to spend some time with her, and in Royal Week, where my role was basically to follow behind carrying the handbag, almost, I was privileged to spend some time with her and to see these qualities and her sense of humour at first hand. Her love of Scotland and her dedication to the United Kingdom—our United Kingdom—are well known, and it is a real blessing that she was able to die in her own bed in her beloved Balmoral in Scotland, having carried out her duties right to the end.

In the many millions of words written about her in the last 24 hours all over the world, many folk will have commented on how she could have shown these astonishing qualities so consistently over so many years and carried that great burden of office and responsibilities without putting a foot wrong. I believe, as the most reverend Primate indicated in his remarks, that the key to answering that question lies in her Christian faith and a life lived following the teachings of Jesus Christ. May God bless her and may she rest in peace.

September 12, 2022
Penny Mordaunt – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Penny Mordaunt, the Leader of the House, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

It is an honour to bring to a close the tributes paid to her most Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I speak today as Leader of the House of Commons, but also for the people of Portsmouth, a city she visited not just for fleet reviews, civic events, homecomings, or ship commissioning, but in transit to board her beloved Royal Yacht Britannia. In all cases, the people of my city remember her connection to and understanding of the tools of UK sea power, our sailors, our civilians, their families, our dockyard and our warships. For a time, that was her life, too: she had worn a uniform; she was a naval wife. She understood service and sacrifice and the burdens people carried. That empathy was evident in all that she did. It was no surprise to hear so many tributes from hon. and right hon. Members full of examples of that personal kindness, or of her concern and care for the staff of this estate, including her desire for the Vice-Chamberlain’s weekly notes to keep her up to speed on the gossip.

The Queen was our Polaris, but she was not a distant Queen. She took an interest in us all, because she recognised the burden of service. Her reign began with a very public grief, because she could not mourn her father in private. She loved Balmoral not just for its beauty and peace, but because she got to sleep in the same bed for a whole six weeks. Of all the exceptional things that she did, of all the people and places that she experienced, her rare night of normality, of freedom, out with her sister to celebrate victory in Europe was, in her words, “one of the most memorable”. For me, the fact that she met her new Prime Minister in person and prepared to take a Privy Council 24 hours before her death illustrates the depth of her devotion to duty.

The Queen lived and died in the service of the nation, as her father and his father before him did. In the final analysis, this then is the measure of all greatness. It is not weighed by gain, but in loss. Sacrifice is the ultimate test of faith and duty. All that is yours must be laid down for all that is us. All that is they must be laid down for all that is we. For only those that bear this cross can wear the crown, because crowns are not made just of jewels and precious metals; they are mostly made of love.

Speaking after 9/11, the Queen comforted us and the rest of the world by saying that grief was the price of love. Her words should comfort us still. We may now feel lost and uncertain, just like some may have felt 70 years ago when she vowed that her life would be dedicated to us. If only they had known what a life she would lead, what glories and hope and vision she would bestow. They need not have worried, and nor should we now. Like his mother’s grief at her father’s death, His Majesty’s grief, too, will not be a private one. He will lead us in mourning. He also carries the cross—a cross of sacrifice and service.

Our great Queen has entrusted us all with a living legacy of triumph over tribulation, of cheerfulness over challenge, and of dedication and determination. She has left us, but her values remain with us. Her example compels us to continued fidelity to our King and our country. God save the King.

September 11, 2022
Thangam Debbonaire – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Thangam Debbonaire, the Labour MP for Bristol West, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

First, it is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Windsor (Adam Afriyie), and I had a feeling he would have more anecdotes than I do.

It is truly an honour to close these two days of tributes to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I have heard almost all of them either here or in my office, and truly every speech has been superb. I am so proud of how we, her Parliament, have come together to pay tribute, and I really think we have done her proud. Colleagues have sent condolences to the royal family on behalf of their constituents, and on behalf of the people of Bristol West and my own family, I do so, too.

From the opening speeches by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, followed by the Father and the Mother of the House, to those of the Members here now and the hundreds in between, I am grateful to each and every colleague, as I also am to the Clerks, Doorkeepers and staff who have enabled this to happen. I truly thank everyone. It is impossible to do the normal round-up closing speech, so I will try to pick out themes instead, because we have explored so many of service and of faith. We have had poetry and prose, and quite a lot of comedy. There have been perspectives from history and of progress. I am aware—I hope I have my dates right—that Her late Majesty’s first Prime Minister was born in 1874 and her last in 1975. What a span of historical perspective.

Many spoke wittily of their own time with the late Queen, to illustrate her character. To pick one out, who knew that the tale of a plate of cheese delivered with a wry raised eyebrow by the former Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), could evoke the Queen so well? We have heard many stories of mishaps on footstools, some of them with Her late Majesty saving people’s dignity, but some of them just managing to turn it into a comedy moment.

The Mother of the House and many others spoke of the significance of the late Queen as a female leader and role model. Indeed, in her Christmas broadcast in 1966, the Queen said that

“it has been women who have breathed gentleness and care into the harsh progress of mankind.”

I have thought about that remark a lot in the past couple of days.

Some colleagues spoke eloquently of their time with the late Queen in other countries—the greatest diplomat on the world stage in our corner, representing Britain—and many talked about her close bond and relationships with our armed forces and others in uniform. We have toured all the nations and every region—it seems like every village, town and city—and felt the sense of pride that she had in all of this country and all of us in it, where she shook more hands, unveiled more plaques and gifted more smiles than anywhere else.

I have learned a great deal more about how a constitutional monarchy operates from those who interacted with Her late Majesty in governmental office, and of her kindness to those whose governmental career had ended. Ardent monarchists and those with a different view alike expressed huge respect for her dedication to public service. Her ability to transcend politics and to represent the national mood meant that she was a unifying figure through which the public could share our nation’s joys and bring much-needed comfort in our country’s darkest hours. I feel that today we have transcended politics and come together.

Many speakers mentioned the late Queen’s pitch-perfect television statements during the pandemic, which so movingly connected our collective trauma in those fearful months in 2020 with the anguish instilled in the world war two generation. Remembering her invocation of Vera Lynn’s wartime message, “We’ll meet again” brings a lump to my throat—so poignant—but she also said:

“the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country. The pride in who we are is not a part of our past, it defines our present and our future.”

Many spoke of how, aged just 21, the then Princess Elizabeth declared that her whole life, whether it be long or short, should be devoted to our service. That was a promise she fulfilled right until the very end. Grief, as Her late Majesty said, is the price we pay for love, but who would want to live without love? We suffer that grief willingly. Whatever the age at which our loved ones leave us, whether their life was long or short, we always grief for that lost presence—the years we are robbed of. We yearn for just one more week, one more day, just one more hour with them. Knowing how that feels, and knowing that the royal family must be feeling that right now, even in the midst of all the formalities and the public duties, we keep them in our hearts.

I hope that, by reflecting together on the Queen’s life over the past two days, we can appreciate the concept of a life well lived. Whether you are a brownie or an MP, whether you work in the NHS or in education, whether you were a key worker or a volunteer during the pandemic, whether you work in hospitality or a factory, whether you are simply a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a friend or a neighbour, each day brings all of us a new opportunity to live up to the ideal set by the late Queen’s life well lived. That is perhaps the biggest tribute we can pay to the ultimate public servant, conscious as we go about our lives of how we can help one another, contribute to the common good and work toward an even better Britain. In the doing of duty and service, we sometimes think of sacrifice, but in the tributes offered here we can all recognise that, in fact, these make a good life. We MPs, who willingly chose our life of duty and service, can renew our commitment to them now as we celebrate the one who, though that life was thrust upon her, followed it unstintingly for 70 years. We must carry forward this Elizabethan legacy of public service for generations to come, for this truly is patriotism.

May Her late Majesty rest in peace and the legacy of the great Elizabethan age continue. May His Majesty King Charles III have a long and successful reign. Long live the King.

September 11, 2022
Adam Afriyie – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Adam Afriyie, the Conservative MP for Windsor, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Her Majesty the Queen was the heart of Windsor, and it is in some ways fitting that my words will be the last of the Back-Bench tributes to Her Majesty. I wish to pass on condolences not just from me but from my many constituents to the royal family.

The Queen was an exceptional monarch through an extraordinary era. Even before her coronation, the young Elizabeth made a vow to devote her life to serving her country. She kept her promise, and she surpassed our expectations. She has been the constant in an ever-changing world not just for Windsor, but for the country, the Commonwealth, and in the hearts and minds of all those around the world. She has been the embodiment of the United Kingdom. She has been projecting all that is good about our nation across the globe for more than 70 years, and her image is our image to the world.

She was the omnipresent Queen. I have been listening to the tributes in this debate, and it seems as though the Queen has been to every part of our United Kingdom. Everybody has a story to tell and everyone in this Chamber has a story to tell. I can tell the House that, as the Prime Minister’s trade envoy to parts of west Africa, everybody there has a story to tell as well. Everyone has a story to tell about our omnipresent Queen. Nationally and internationally, she is recognised.

Yet amid all her duties, responsibilities and commitments, the Queen remained ever-present in the Windsor constituency, one of her favourite homes. People felt her presence everywhere across the constituency—absolutely everywhere. As the MP, I have had the privilege of greeting Heads of State as they arrived in Windsor, albeit in the shadows of Her Majesty, and I could witness at first hand her incisive wit and her cool and calm humour, which set guests at their ease. Aside from seeing the Queen at Royal Ascot, the Savill garden, the Combermere barracks and the Victoria barracks, or at military parades, virtually every constituent will have seen or met her, or knew somebody very close to them who had.

If people lived in Windsor, there was no escape—none whatsoever. If they were strolling in Windsor Great park, they would inevitably bump into the Queen walking, driving or, in the past, on a horse. Their children were likely to see her at school or at college, and for anyone working for our many charities and good causes, it was inevitable that they would receive visits and great patronage from the Queen. When it came to our businesses, if the foundation stone of the building was not laid by the Queen, a plaque with her name was placed there on her opening it, or the business received a letter or an invite to the Castle. Whether people knew it or not, even when they were shopping in the King Edward Court centre in central Windsor, it was inevitable that they would bump into Her Majesty on occasion. She was everywhere: she was truly omnipresent. So I am not surprised—I am not—that her last official engagement was at the Thames hospice in our local area. It makes sense in so many ways.

In closing, it is difficult for me to express just how much the Queen will be missed in Windsor and how thankful we are to have known her. She was our omnipresent Queen—the Queen of constancy—and her image is our image to the world. In future, in this place and across the country, we must strive to live up to her image of us. In Windsor the Queen will live on in our parks, lakes and buildings, and in our memories. She will live on in her eldest son, and I say without hesitation, long live King Charles III.

September 11, 2022
Nusrat Ghani – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Nusrat Ghani, the Conservative for Wealden, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

I rise with a heavy heart tonight to pay tribute to Her late Majesty the Queen. I want to start by expressing my deepest sympathies to His Majesty the King and the entire royal family, on behalf of my family and the loyal constituents of Wealden. Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was loved and respected throughout my constituency, from the villages of Withyham and Eridge in the north to the town of Hailsham in the south. She was adored for her duty, loyalty and leadership in the UK, the Commonwealth and across the world.

I want to share the words of a constituent who lives in Fletching. Libby Buchanan is 99 years old and has lived through the reigns of five monarchs, from George V to King Charles III. She said to me how deeply blessed she felt to have lived through the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Sometimes, Libby told me, the changes experienced in the world over the Queen’s reign were bewildering, yet the Queen never changed. She was always there, a constant, gentle and ever-present light. That light has now gone out but, as Libby said, the flame has been relit and is held in the safest possible hands: those of King Charles III. Long live the King.

September 11, 2022
Ben Bradley – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Ben Bradley, the Conservative MP for Mansfield, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

Many colleagues have said that they will always remember where they were when the news broke of Her late Majesty’s death. I certainly will: I was standing by a football pitch in Nottinghamshire watching the under-sixes. I had been let off for the day because the Tour of Britain was passing through my constituency. As the deluge—and it was a deluge—cleared, and as the news of Her late Majesty’s passing rippled around the parents on the side of the pitch, a rainbow appeared in the sky, as my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Jill Mortimer) said. It was an incredible moment as that emotion rippled around the assembled parents, and I subsequently watched it rippling around this Chamber on television.

I am not sure what more I can say at the end of two days of tributes to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. There have been so many wonderful contributions, particularly from those senior colleagues and Privy Counsellors who knew her and spent time with her. Their personal stories and anecdotes spoke to her charm, her character, her humour and—as we heard from my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) —her firm commitment to the three-second rule.

Although so much has been said already, I have felt duty-bound to speak on behalf of my constituents in Mansfield and lay a floral tribute at the palace on their behalf. As a Nottinghamshire county councillor, I also have a civic role in some of the many events this week. The proclamation tomorrow and the memorial events throughout the week and next weekend will be an important chance for the public, who are mourning her loss as if she were part of their own family, to do what we are doing now: coming together to share stories and memories and be part of the transition from one era to the next.

We have been lucky enough to host Her late Majesty in Mansfield. Admittedly, it was in the 1970s, so I must admit that I did not quite manage to get there myself, but the town still celebrates and remembers her coming to open Mansfield library all those years ago. She opened the Queen’s Medical Centre, too, and made at least six visits to Nottingham throughout her reign, most recently for the diamond jubilee. For everyone who saw her or met her on those visits, the occasion will be among their most treasured memories.

In many ways, Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth was the one constant in our lives through so much change and chaos. She has played a huge role in all our lives. I was struck by her love for her family, not least in how she wrapped her arms around her grandchildren in 1997 after the death of Princess Diana, and how she shouldered that grief and those burdens while protecting them, even at what was perhaps the most difficult time for our monarchy during her reign.

The end of one era is also the start of another, and King Charles III now shoulders that responsibility. My heart goes out to him and his family as they seek to provide stability and continuity while dealing with their private grief in the eye of so much public interest. I hope that the heartfelt sadness and the outpouring of affection from the public, here and around the globe, gives him heart and gives him strength.

Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to meet the King, who was then the Prince of Wales. We discussed his charity work and how good housing can help to tackle inequalities. He was warm, energetic and incredibly knowledgeable, as we have heard today among the recollections of the Queen. I know and trust that he will continue with the same sense of duty and public service that he learned from Her late Majesty over so many years. I hope that she is reunited with Philip, and that she may rest in peace. God save the King.

September 11, 2022
Rod Roberts – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Rod Roberts, the Independent MP for Delyn, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

I rise with both immense sadness and immense gratitude at being able to contribute to this series of tributes to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, both on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Delyn, who have been delighted to welcome her on visits to the constituency many times over the years. It is an honour to be able to follow such outstanding speeches as those that we have heard over the past two days.

Nothing can measure the impact of a person more effectively than the way we feel when they pass away. We feel unimaginable grief at the passing of a parent, a close family member or a lifelong friend, and it is astonishing to think that people experience those same feelings at the passing of someone whom—like me—they probably never met. Such was the impact of Her late Majesty.

She was the epitome of discretion, humility and grace, and while we were honoured to have her as our Head of State for so long, in truth I believe she felt that the honour was hers in being afforded the privilege of being our Queen; for hers was a life of duty, of sacrifice, and of diligent responsibility to be that beacon that we all looked towards in the most challenging times.

She never took that duty lightly or casually—the omnipresent figure that bound us all together, providing a link to times gone by and to those people we have sadly lost along the way. People have said many times, “We shall never see her like again.” I really hope we do, because we all need that figurehead, that shining light, that ubiquitous inspiration for us to do all that we can in the service of others.

One of my old teachers told me a while ago, “If someone has already said it perfectly, do not be so arrogant as to assume that you can do it better.” So I will quote the words of the poet David Harkins:

“You can shed tears that she is gone

Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her

Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone

Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”

Our grief is palpable, the void in our lives both unexpected and painful, and we mourn her loss. May she rest well, reunited with her beloved husband. God save the new Prince and Princess of Wales, and God save the King.

September 11, 2022
Jill Mortimer – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by Jill Mortimer, the Conservative MP for Hartlepool, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

It is indeed a great honour, but also with great sorrow, that I stand in this place today on behalf of the people of Hartlepool to express our profound sadness at the passing of our most Gracious Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen was many things—a Head of State; a leader; a mother of realms and of heirs; a daughter of history and humanity. She was also a warm, humorous and understanding countrywoman, a lover of horses and dogs—passions and interests that I share with Her late Majesty. In the equestrian and dog-loving community, when the sad but inevitable time comes when we must say goodbye to a much loved four-legged companion, we always want that to be at a time of their choosing, at the end of a good summer, in their favourite meadow or basket by the fire. It is also a passing that we wish for ourselves.

In my sadness at hearing the news of the Queen’s passing, I also drew solace from knowing that she had left this earthly dominion at the end of a glorious summer, before the cold winter starts to bite, in a favourite place of her own—a castle of happy memories. No one will forget that last public image of her fulfilling her final duty, smiling in her kilt and cardigan, trusty handbag over her arm—perhaps containing a marmalade sandwich—a countrywoman by her fire.

Throughout history we have heard of the great moments of monarchy being accompanied by celestial events, such as Edward IV’s sun in splendour, the appearance of three suns rising in the sky before the battle of Mortimer’s Cross. He was father to Elizabeth of York, grandmother of Elizabeth I, the rainbow Queen who presided over a golden age. How fitting that at the time of the announcement of the passing of our great and noble Queen Elizabeth II—daughter of another Elizabeth of York—rainbows appeared in the sky over her palaces: the two Elizabethan ages entwined through time, proclaiming the new dawn of the reign of King Charles III. As he pledged to continue the same duty as his mother before him, so shall we all in this place swear a new oath of allegiance to him.

May Elizabeth of blessed memory rest in peace. God save the King.

September 11, 2022
James Sunderland – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II

The tribute made by James Sunderland, the Conservative MP for Bracknell, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.

I rise with profound reverence to pay tribute to Her Majesty the Queen. Ours is not to reason why, but this is the moment we feared would come. The loss of this most adored global icon, the bedrock in our lives for so long, is deep, palpable and impossible to put into words.

We have heard many superlatives. Perhaps uniquely, all of these are perfect, as she was magnificent, steadfast and inspirational, a devoted mother and simply the best. But the two words that I want to focus on are service and love. When she went up a princess and came down a queen at Treetops in 1952, she was aware of the service that lay ahead, not only as Head of State and of the Commonwealth, but as head of the armed forces. She had already become colonel-in-chief of the Grenadier Guards at the age of 16, and the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force would soon bear her standard. It is impossible not to mention, too, the Household Division, the Royal Engineers and so many of the other Army units for whom she was also one of their own. I cannot think of a single person to whom that famous mantra of “serve to lead” could be more perfectly applied. Her sailors, soldiers and aviators truly loved her, and rightly so.

Having led soldiers myself on several operational tours, I can tell the House from experience that servicemen and women do not proudly serve their country or even pay the ultimate sacrifice because the prevailing Government ask it of them—nor do they do it to follow orders, or out of camaraderie or even a sense of glory—but because of service to the Crown. The glue that actually binds military service at sea, on land and in the air is the democracy, freedom and sovereignty of this great nation and the monarch who presides over it.

In my constituency of Bracknell, the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst proudly occupies its leafy corner of Berkshire. Three times a year, the Queen or her representative would come to her sovereign’s parade, where officer cadets commission into the Army. I can recall my own commissioning in 1992 as if it was yesterday, and the Queen was always a regular feature, smiling in the achievements of others. And who could forget that fine day in 2006 when she attended Prince William’s commissioning parade alongside her beloved Prince Philip—and King Charles, the Queen Consort and, of course, Cadet Prince Harry Wales? The famous painting from that day still hangs imposingly above the famous steps at Old College.

Beyond Sandhurst, Her Majesty has a wider association with the people of Bracknell. Most recently, she opened the Lexicon shopping centre in 2018, and visited Wellington College in 2009, the Transport Research Laboratory in 1995, the Victuallers’ School in 1994 and the Look Out centre in 1991. In fact, she formally visited my constituency from neighbouring Windsor on at least 20 other occasions during her life. To be in no doubt, Queen Elizabeth II loved her country, the Commonwealth, her family, her people and all those who came into contact with her. She was also loved by them, and the people of Bracknell will always be proud to have known her.

I visited the Lexicon in Bracknell yesterday to sign the book of condolence, near to where she had opened it four years earlier. I spoke to constituents who were saddened by her passing. Some I met were visibly overcome by grief and loss, uncertain for their own future. And, Mr Speaker, do you know what? It is okay not to feel okay at this profound time. It is okay to mourn her passing, as well as celebrate her life. It is okay to feel a sense of foreboding, and it is okay to feel wretched, as the Queen was very special.

I want to finish by saying one thing above all else, on behalf of the good people of Bracknell, Crowthorne, Finchampstead, Sandhurst, Wokingham Without and beyond: Your Majesty, thank you. God save the King.

September 11, 2022