I wish to add my sincere condolences to those that have been expressed by all Members of the House, and from across the nation and indeed the world, to Her Majesty the Queen and the royal family for their loss.
We in Stoke-on-Trent have been incredibly touched by the outpouring of love and messages for the Duke of Edinburgh this past weekend. The many tributes, articles and TV specials have offered a fascinating insight into his upbringing, which was not without its adversity, and into his strength of character, which inspired many across our four nations—a fact exemplified not least by the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Prince Philip understood the importance of young people challenging their self-limiting beliefs. The award gave post-war youngsters in Britain a sense of achievement and the opportunity to learn new life skills and to build personal resilience. Some 65 years on, the scheme has expanded to 144 countries, and over 8 million young people worldwide have taken part in it.
Prince Philip’s legacy will be the continuation and expansion of the work he started many decades ago. His extensive travels around the Commonwealth representing the Crown, and his interest in wildlife and the environment, afforded him great insight into the threats to our planet. He spoke out about climate change 50 years before the issues became widely understood.
When Prince Philip became consort to the Queen at only 30, and she became Queen at only 25, he asked, “What do you expect me to do?” and was met with blank looks. With no precedent set since Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, the path the Duke of Edinburgh went on to forge, the charities he went on to champion and the issues he successfully pioneered are nothing short of remarkable—and he did all of that while never failing in his duty as a liege man of life and limb to the Queen and making a nation laugh along the way.
As we battle a global pandemic, it is only fitting that we honour the memory of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh by ensuring that his work continues apace. For now, I will close by reaffirming that Her Majesty the Queen and the royal family are in our thoughts and prayers at this sad time.
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