It is an honour to speak today on behalf of my constituents in West Dorset, to share in our nation’s sorrow and to send our deepest sympathies to Her Majesty the Queen and the royal family.
Prince Philip was one of the few constants in our transitory lives. The past few days have given many of us the time to consider not only the life and service of Prince Philip, but our own lives and service to our communities.
The Duke of Edinburgh was a man of home truths. He was not afraid to say what he thought, and he did not mind being controversial. In many ways, the expression of those home truths reflected the thoughts of the public, and we are worse off as a nation without that kind of honesty and common sense from him.
Prince Philip was of my grandparents’ generation. Their sense of duty and service, particularly during times of difficulty, has allowed us to lead the lives of freedom and democracy that we enjoy today. Theirs is a generation of selflessness, not entitlement. Theirs is a generation of tenacity, character and wisdom.
The people in West Dorset have very fond memories of when Her Majesty and His Royal Highness visited us on several occasions. They have visited my home town of Sherborne twice, once in 1998 when Her Majesty unveiled the great west window at Sherborne Abbey, and again as part of the Queen’s diamond jubilee tour in 2012. They also came to Dorchester, our county town, in 2016 to open Queen Mother Square in Poundbury. Those memories have endured with us for many years, and will continue to do so. Like so many families who have lost loved ones over this past year, the Queen and her family will have a funeral for Prince Philip that is much smaller than it might otherwise have been. While on Saturday we cannot be physically present, I would like the Queen to know that the country is standing beside her in spirit and sharing in her loss. While the nation mourns a prince, the Queen mourns her husband. It is therefore with profound affection from West Dorset that I wish the Queen to know that she and the royal family remain steadfastly in our thoughts and prayers, as indeed does Prince Philip.
9.45 pm