The nation is in mourning for our truly inspirational Queen, who gave so much of her life in service to our country and The Commonwealth.
Her Majesty The Queen came to the throne as a young woman, at a time before all women could even vote. Throughout her reign the Queen saw dramatic changes in technology, in the advances of medicines, the invention of mobile telephones and the internet. The world looked so very different when she came to the throne than what is looks like now; so much has changed. However, the Queen’s sense of duty, the importance she placed on her service to our country and her strong belief in peace, never faltered and never changed.
What is clear is that so many of us felt that we knew her personally and that she was our queen. I believe she made us feel that way by always, no matter what, being there for our Country in the darkest of times and in the happy moments too.
Even up until just a few days before her death she was discharging her Constitutional duties, such was her dedication to the position she assumed in 1952. There has never been a Monarch who has reigned for so long and I know that we all enjoyed celebrating her reign with the Platinum Jubilee earlier this year. I was honoured to attend so many events in Derbyshire Dales marking an extraordinary reign and to see the affection which was shown for the Queen by everyone involved was amazing.
Many will have personal memories of meeting or seeing the Queen, be that on visits to Derbyshire over the years or other events. In 1968, she visited Derbyshire and went to the Lea Green Sports Centre and John Smedley Knitwear Ltd at Lea Mills. In March 1985, the Queen once again visited Derbyshire, visiting Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Ashbourne to mark the 400th anniversary of the school. The Queen visited again in 1992 when she carried out an intense schedule, officially opening Carsington Reservoir, visiting Matlock and Wirksworth. In 2014, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were cheered by crowds during a visit to the Derbyshire Dales. They arrived at Matlock Station and then went to John Smedley knitwear company in Lea Mills, before moving on to Chatsworth House. None of us will forget her tremendous sense of humour and her willingness to get involved. Her role with James Bond in the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games was a great highlight, as was her more recent appearance with Paddington Bear during the Jubilee celebrations in June.
I am truly honoured to have sworn my allegiance to her when I was sworn into Parliament in 2019. Seeing her at my first State Opening of Parliament was awe inspiring. I could not believe that I was in the same room as the Queen, someone who has served as an inspiration to me for my whole life. When I was a child, one of my hobbies was to collect stamps with her on from all around the world. As a young girl I was a Brownie and I vividly remember learning the National Anthem and being instructed to stand with my arms straight and to sing loudly and proudly as a mark of respect to our sovereign.
Unfortunately, so many of us know what is like to lose a parent or a loved one. I know the pain that loss caused me personally and my heart goes out to Royal Family at this time. We will never forget the strength and sense of purpose she provided us with in our darkest moments. Taking responsibility and never shirking it - an inspiration to us all.
God Save the King
