His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Aaron Bell Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Commons Chamber

[Aaron Bell (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Con)]

On behalf of my residents in Newcastle-under-Lyme and the civic leadership of the whole borough, I would like to give thanks for the life of Prince Philip, for all his service to the nation and for the love and support he gave to our glorious Queen. I extend all our condolences to Her Majesty and the royal family.

In Newcastle-under-Lyme, we remember the visits Prince Philip and the Queen made to our borough in 1973 for the octocentenary of our charter, and in 1999 when they opened the first building of the Science and Innovation Park at Keele University. The Duke would have been proud to see how that campus has grown, given his interest in science and technology.

With the House’s indulgence, I would like to speak very briefly about my sister, Fiona, who completed all three parts of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme to the gold award, including expeditions to India and Ecuador. At the presentation ceremony at the palace, the Duke of Edinburgh sought her out personally after the presentation to speak to her. The reason he did that is that her experiences on the Duke of Edinburgh scheme and the friends and people she met persuaded her that a career in the Royal Navy was for her, so she followed in the Duke’s footsteps at Britannia Royal Naval College, and she is now Lieutenant Commander Fiona Haynes MBE. On behalf of my sister and the millions of other young people who have had their lives broadened and their horizons widened by that scheme, I pay tribute to the Duke for all he has done, and I give thanks to him for his service to the nation. God save the Queen.