His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Cat Smith Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Commons Chamber

[Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)]

Tributes to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh have flooded in from around the world, but for the next two minutes I want to share the tributes from the small corner of Lancashire that I have the privilege to represent in the House.

The Queen is the Duke of Lancaster, so there is a strong sense of connection between many of my Lancashire constituents and the royal family. Many will have seen the Duke, along with the Queen, on many royal visits, including, most recently, to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Duke made many visits to Lancashire during his long life, but few were as memorable as his carriage ride across Morecambe Bay. On May Day in 1985, he crossed the treacherous bay at low tide accompanied by Cedric Robinson, the Queen’s Guide to the Sands. He crossed from Silverdale to Kent’s Bank with a team of horses—the first time that that had happened for 130 years. More recently, the Duke, alongside the Queen, visited Fleetwood in 1994 for Rossall School’s 150th birthday celebration. Those memories are a treasured and lasting gift to all our community.

Across Lancaster and Fleetwood today, flags are flying at half-mast, including above our civic buildings and, of course, above Lancaster castle. In our schools and youth centres, there will be a lasting legacy too. The Duke made a tremendous contribution to our communities through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, which provides vital opportunities to young people across Lancashire. It offered me, like so many young people, opportunities to give service to my community, learn new skills and build lasting friendships. I hope that this legacy supports generations of young people to come.

The Duke of Edinburgh served this country with dignity for almost 70 years, alongside and supporting Her Majesty the Queen. At this difficult time, we offer our thoughts and prayers that she will find God’s comfort and strength in the times to come. On behalf of my constituents, I pay tribute to a remarkable man who supported Her Majesty as her husband, as her consort and as the Duke of Edinburgh for longer than the vast majority of my constituents have been alive. He truly gave a lifetime of service to our nation, and it is clear from the tributes that the nation is coming together now to mourn his loss and celebrate his extraordinary life.