His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Dan Jarvis Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Commons Chamber

[Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central) (Lab) [V]]

I begin by offering, on behalf of my constituents and myself, deepest sympathies to Her Majesty the Queen and the royal family following their loss. It is easy to forget, but at the heart of this moment in history is a grieving family who, like so many over the past year, will not be able to say goodbye in the manner they would have wished.

The Duke of Edinburgh gave his life to service—service that extended far beyond his role as consort. He was one of the last few surviving global figures of the second world war and, as we have heard, as an officer in the Royal Navy he saw active duty at sea, from the Mediterranean to the far east. He distinguished himself and was mentioned in dispatches. Speaking six decades after the event, Harry Hargreaves, a yeoman aboard HMS Wallace, revealed how he and the ship’s crew owed their lives to Prince Philip’s quick thinking and heroics during a German bombardment in the invasion of Sicily. The medals that the Duke of Edinburgh wore from that conflict were hard earned. His passing is yet another reminder of how privileged we are that veterans from that war are still just with us today. We must cherish them while we can.

Prince Philip’s passion for the outdoors led him to establish the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. In doing so, he helped to inspire millions of young people across the world to push themselves to the limit, including me. At 18, the scheme led me on to an expedition to the Himalayas—a formative experience and one that I will never forget.

Known for his irreverent sense of humour, Prince Philip famously described himself as

“a discredited Balkan prince of no particular merit or distinction”

and as

“the world’s most experienced plaque unveiler”.

I believe that history’s judgment will be kinder than his own. He will be remembered as an integral part of our national story, as the longest-serving consort in our history and as someone who gave unwavering and invaluable support to the Queen. Prince Philip was also a towering figure in our armed forces community and a powerful link to our past—a time when Britain relied on the bravery and sacrifice of men and women like him to drag us from the depths of despair, and to fight to secure Britain’s future. As such, his legacy will stand forever, and the country will always be grateful for his service. May he rest in peace.