His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Lord Davies of Gower Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Davies of Gower (Con) [V]]

My Lords, it is indeed a great but very sad privilege to join noble Lords in paying tribute to the life of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. I am of a generation born in the year that Her Majesty the Queen ascended to the throne, and certainly throughout my life the Royal Family has been the anchor and source of comfort to our nation and the Commonwealth in times of adversity and grief. But, as many of your Lordships have acknowledged, the strength and unbelievable sustainability of Her Majesty’s reign can have been made possible only through the enormous support that Prince Philip provided.

Prince Philip’s contribution to the monarchy and the stability of our nation is immeasurable, but beyond that he was indeed one of what is fast becoming a rare class of people: he commanded enormous respect for his qualities of leadership, resolve and individuality. With a promising post-war naval career before him, he chose public duty above his own calling in order to serve the nation and Commonwealth. For that he has the gratitude of us all.

Prince Philip’s dedication to the people of the United Kingdom was without question of the highest order. He will be remembered here in Wales with deep affection for his concern about and immediate response to the disaster that struck Aberfan in 1966. Prince Philip was the first member of the Royal Family to visit the Aberfan community, where he visited the scene and consoled those still trying to comprehend the scale of the devastation the day after the tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of 116 children and 28 adults. Prince Philip continued to visit Aberfan, attending various commemorative events remembering those children and adults who perished in the disaster.

I was privileged to meet Prince Philip during my time as a Member of the then National Assembly for Wales. I was frankly amazed at his in-depth knowledge of the issues and challenges facing Welsh people. For me, his ability to blend charm and wit yet be forthright in his views combined to make our conversation one of my most memorable experiences.

However, one of Prince Philip’s greatest legacies will be his concern for youth and the desire

“to help young people gain essential skills, experience, confidence and resilience to successfully navigate adult life”

through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, as the scheme proudly proclaims. The scheme is international, with young people from some 130 countries and territories abroad participating. For many years I was privileged to help administer the scheme within the Royal Air Force Air Cadets and witnessed the profound and positive effect that partaking in the scheme had on the young air cadets. Launched in 1956, it is an exceptional legacy to the memory of His Royal Highness.

Outside of his public duties, we should of course acknowledge his mastery of polo and carriage driving, at which he excelled as a sportsman. He was also an accomplished yachtsman and aviator. But above all it was his dedication to his indefatigable role in support of the monarchy for which he will be remembered affectionately, as witnessed by the outpouring of sorrow from the many nations of the Commonwealth and around the world. I pay tribute to his enormous contribution during his lifetime of devotion and commitment to the nation and the Commonwealth. I join in extending my and my family’s heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family in the sound knowledge that Prince Philip’s memory will live on in the many organisations and lives he touched.