His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Baroness Buscombe Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Buscombe (Con)]

I join other noble Lords in paying tribute to His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Over the past few days, and today in your Lordships’ House, we have learned more about how His Royal Highness touched the lives of so many people across the nation and the world.

From an extraordinarily tough beginning, he became the most wonderful role model and example for his collective generation. My generation grew up looking up to and admiring the Duke of Edinburgh, always there, steadfast, at the side of Her Majesty the Queen. His Royal Highness took pride of place in our good old-fashioned scrap-books and stamp collections, and in our local and national newspapers, always with good news and forward-looking stories and events. We felt transported to those distant islands that the Duke visited across the world. His remarkable life was exciting for us. He was an enduring figure in our national and international landscape, most particularly the Commonwealth. His approach was direct, transcending all cultures, creeds and interests, and always straightforward. Indeed, he gave one the impression that he was genuinely interested, even if those addressing him were tongue-tied. He was inspirational and optimistic, the development of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme being one of many achievements that gave others the confidence to make a difference to their own futures and chances in life.

I was lucky enough to meet the Duke of Edinburgh on several quite distinct occasions, including the marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William and Catherine Middleton, as they became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. That day was, first and foremost, a happy family occasion, to which a few were lucky enough to be invited and to share in the remarkable natural informality that prevailed following the wedding ceremony. That said, whatever the occasion, when engaging in conversation with Prince Philip, it was important to be on one’s mettle. In return, he never looked over one’s shoulder; rather, those piercing eyes watched as he listened intently, as if no one else was there. He could be very amusing, always sharp as a tack, and wonderfully direct. In recent days, some commentators have referred to the Duke of Edinburgh as the father of the nation—a good thought and a truism that he may have been surprised to hear.

As a working bencher of Inner Temple, I am proud to put on record that His Royal Highness became a Royal Bencher in 1954 and Royal Treasurer in 1961. He visited the inn on numerous occasions, including the rededication of the round in Temple Church in 1958 and, in 2008, on the 400th anniversary of the letters patent granted to the Inns of Court by James I. More recently, in 2013, he attended a special service following the restoration of the Temple Church Harrison & Harrison organ. I wish he could have seen the results of Project Pegasus, a transformational redevelopment of the Inner Temple due to complete in July this year. With respect, I sense that he would have thoroughly approved of the inn’s new focus on state-of-the-art technology, captured in a stunning lecture theatre and training rooms for the benefit of both barristers and students.

When a governor of a free school in Langley, Slough, I learned much more from others about the Duke’s involvement in local life in and around the town of Windsor. Until very recently, he was an active patron and supporter of many voluntary organisations. In particular, it is clear that he disliked bureaucracy and anything that might compromise progress. If the accounts were a constraint to just getting things done within an organisation, “get on and change the accountants” was his approach.

We miss him now—a loss to us all that will endure in a changing world that might never again quite appreciate how one person, propelled into a unique position in public life, made a real and positive difference to so many of us in our private lives. I send my heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and her family.