I join with people from across the world to express my deep sadness at the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She will be sorely missed. My deepest sympathies to King Charles III, the Queen Consort and all of the Royal Family at their loss. Having seen the late Queen receiving Liz Truss as incoming Prime Minister only a few days ago the news came all the more as a shock, her dedication to duty and her service to the nation continuing to the end. The affection that Her Majesty showed for all those she met is now reciprocated in the outpouring of grief. May she rest in peace.
Everyone will have their own thoughts about the late Queen and many people will have their own experience of seeing or meeting her. I recall my first encounter with her long before I became an MP when in 1994 she made a visit to Russia, to Moscow and St Petersburg at the request of Boris Yeltsin. I had been invited along to conduct economic negotiations with Russia. The visit was based in St Petersburg on board Britannia, a ship that thoroughly impressed all the Russian visitors. The press made much of the details of the jewels that the Queen had brought with her especially on whether any of them had once belonged to Russian duchesses. Despite the press trying to cause difficulty, Her Majesty was not interested in the slightest and took that and indeed Boris Yeltsin fully in her stride. Quite remarkable, if we can remember what he was like. The trip was a great success for UK PLC, and the Queen took a great interest in what we were doing and the results of the visit.
As His Majesty has said, we remember a life well lived. We celebrate that life for all the human qualities, as well as the duty and service that so many Members have spoken about. God save the King!
