It is a huge honour to take part in these tributes to His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. I, too, wish to express, on behalf of my constituents in North Antrim, my sincere condolences to Her Majesty the Queen on the loss of her husband, her life partner, her consort, her liegeman and her true love. To the entire royal family, we pray that God will give them the grace to cope with the loss of their dearly beloved father figure of the royal household. No doubt the many messages of condolence that we have heard today will be appreciated, especially their variety, which in itself is a small indication of the esteem in which His Royal Highness was held.
I, too, had the privilege of meeting His Royal Highness on a number of occasions. In 2016 I welcomed the royal party to the Giant’s Causeway in Bushmills. Indeed, the colour and pageantry of that successful event is still remarked upon today. I presented His Royal Highness with a blackthorn stick. With a twinkle in his eye, he asked me, “Now, what shall I do with that, young man?” On other occasions I had the opportunity to dine with him at Windsor, when he was very engaging about the situation in Northern Ireland, and no doubt he would have had some things to say about what is happening to our beloved Province at the present time.
I believe that his son and grandson, Their Royal Highnesses, put it well in their own contributions about their dear papa. As His Royal Highness Prince William said, “Let’s now get on with the job.” What a summit he has set for others to aim for and climb.
We in Northern Ireland have seen something of the success of his legacy in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, which has reached 67 million people across the United Kingdom, and in Northern Ireland this year alone there have been over 6,000 starts. My own children have participated enthusiastically in the scheme, because it delivers so much. Indeed, the delivery partners are a diverse group that includes the air cadets, the Army cadets, Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster and, indeed, the Gaelic Athletic Association. That says something about the success of that organisation and its legacy.
Today, we as a Parliament say, “Goodbye, Sir. Your like will not be seen again. Thank you.”
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