Liz Saville Roberts tribute to Queen Elizabeth II: 'An inspiration for so many'
Queen Elizabeth II attending the opening ceremony of the Senedd in Cardiff 2021. (Alamy)
3 min read
On behalf of Plaid Cymru, I offer my sincere sympathies and condolences to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s children, and her extended family as they come to terms with their grief.
Queen Elizabeth was a constant presence throughout all our lives. She stood as a figure of stability in a world that is changing at a rapid, and sometimes frightening pace. The loss of the continuity that Her Majesty embodied is a source of sorrow and anxiety for people across the world.
Up to her final days, she conducted her duties with an extraordinary dedication that has been an inspiration for so many of us. Her values of duty, service, reconciliation and forgiveness are values that the people of Wales hold very dear.
She conducted her duties with an extraordinary dedication that has been an inspiration for so many of us
In Wales, we respect people who embody that sense of dedication to society and to public service, who put their public duty first. Queen Elizabeth personified that duty for so many people for so many years.
Her Majesty had a canny ability to put people at ease in the midst of palace formality. When I was appointed to the Privy Council three years ago, I remember being nervous and intimidated by the protocols and rules that govern interactions with the Royal Family. Your mind tots up an infinite checklist of everything that could possibly go wrong.
What stuck with me was something she said: “You may well be worrying that you’ll do something wrong or in the wrong order. Don’t worry, whatever could possibly wrong I’ve seen it all before. There’s nothing you might do that would shock me now.”
Even among all that pomp and ceremony, there was a characteristic warmth and courtesy to the Queen. Her Majesty was a magnificent role model for older women across the world. Historically, older women disappeared from public life but Queen Elizabeth was a constant visible figure throughout the 70 years of her reign.
From historic buildings and charities to football, she always showed interest in Wales. People of all walks of Welsh life have been touched by the Queen’s keen interest and constant support of Welsh organisations. She attended every official opening of the Senedd and showed due respect for Wales’s nationhood and growing democracy.
She was patron to organisations as diverse as the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, The Football Association of Wales, Cardiff Royal Infirmary, and the Welsh Pony and Cob Society.
Her love of horses, from thoroughbreds to native ponies, shone through. You see it in those sparkling smiles. Everyone in public life knows you have a public smile, but the photos of her with horses, that was her real smile.
We now see one era draw to a close, and a new one at its very beginning. For now, we will say – diolch yn fawr iawn, thank you very much, your Majesty. Cwsg mewn hedd. May she rest in peace. Bendith Duw ar y Brenin. God’s blessing on the King.
Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd and leader of Plaid Cymru in the House of Commons.
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