His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Lord Empey Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Empey (UUP) [V]]

My Lords, on one occasion, I was sitting at a dinner besides an elderly former headmaster who had devoted his life to young people and who believed passionately in technical and vocational education, apprenticeships, skills training and anything that could be done to give young people an opportunity in life. Well in his 90s, he said something to me that was quite profound: “Reg, there is no apprenticeship for old age”. Similarly for the Duke of Edinburgh, there was no apprenticeship for being consort to Her Majesty for so many decades. This was learning on the job, something that he did with great aplomb and effectiveness.

As a Minister, I had the privilege of sitting at a luncheon with him in Hillsborough one day. The table consisted of a mixture of politicians, community representatives and businesspeople. After we had eaten, and with a glint in his eye, he continued to act as agent provocateur and brought pressure to bear on the politicians. It will be no surprise to noble Lords that politicians in Northern Ireland at that time deserved a great deal of scrutiny, and indeed criticism, but he did so in an entertaining way. Nevertheless, he made his point in front of the business community and community representatives.

However, I believe that he was kryptonite for pomposity. He disliked people who became too full of themselves and got carried away by their positions. He could bring everybody down to earth, but in a very amusing way.

On behalf of my colleagues in the Ulster Unionist Party, I express our deep condolences to Her Majesty, and wish her and her family every blessing in the challenging days ahead.