Darren Henry – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II
The tribute made by Darren Henry, the Conservative MP for Broxtowe, in the House of Commons on 10 September 2022.
I echo the sentiments of many right hon and hon. Members. It is always a special moment when all parties in the Chamber unite together and speak with one voice. Unifying those who were divided was just one of the countless qualities that made our Queen the ruler she was. My thoughts and those of my constituents in Broxtowe are with the royal family at this time. The Queen was loved and admired not only throughout Great Britain but across the Commonwealth. A sense of loss and mourning will be felt in all corners of the world.
On a personal note, on more than one occasion in my life, I swore true allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen. The first was in 1987, at the age of 18, when I was joining the armed forces, and I did so more recently, in 2019, when being sworn in as a Member of this House. On those occasions, I felt incredibly proud to be able to serve my country and, most importantly, the Queen. I was honoured to be invited to meet Her late Majesty while serving in the Royal Air Force. She smiled and shook my hand. It was one of the privileges of my life and a memory that I will always hold dear. No matter who you were, her smile put you instantly at ease; the rarest and most wonderful quality for anyone to hold.
As has been mentioned by right hon. and hon. Members, in 1947 the Queen stated:
“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
She came to embody those words throughout her 70 years of service and displayed a sense of duty to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth unlike any seen before. Over the last 70 years, at times of struggle and loss, we as a nation always looked to the Queen. She gave comfort in times of sorrow, continuity in times of uncertainty and hope in times of doubt. During the pandemic, when many of us were separated from our loved ones, she reminded our nation that “we will meet again.” She embodied the strength that we needed and inspired us all to carry on.
I offer wishes of success and prosperity to our new King, Charles III. The country and the Commonwealth are behind you and with you. On behalf of myself and my constituents in Broxtowe, may the Queen rest in peace, and God save the King.
