Worcester’s MP Robin Walker writes for the Observer…
I WRITE this column in the saddest circumstances but also to celebrate a truly great life and a remarkable servant to our nation.
Her Majesty offered in that early broadcast to dedicate her entire life to service of the people of this country and the Commonwealth and that was a promise firmly and faithfully kept. She swore at her coronation to be a defender of the faith and in so many messages over the decades she not only defended but enhanced and gently protected the role of faith in our society not only for her own Church of England but for people of all faiths.
As someone with the honour of representing the faithful city of Worcester, I want to pass on the love, prayers and good wishes of constituents, faith, and civic leaders to all the Royal Family and especially His Majesty the King at this sad and historic moment.
When Princess Elizabeth first visited Worcester in 1951, she was already the mother of two small children and the beautiful young princess was greeted by flower girls and a parade of scouts and guides outside the Cathedral. As a lifelong patron of the guides and former girl guide herself as well as so many Queens Scout awards, she has inspired millions. She returned as Queen in 1957 and visited New Road, the most beautiful Cricket ground in England with her consort Prince Philip, touring the boundary in an open top Land Rover to the cheers of around 5000 local school children. After more visits in the 1980s when she distributed Maundy money and celebrated the anniversary of the City’s charter, her final visit to Worcester and proudest moment of my life was on her Diamond Jubilee.
Her Majesty opened the Hive – a joint city and university library which was the first of its kind in Europe and a fabulous repository of children’s books and resources for education. I was fortunate enough to be in the welcoming party for that visit and to join some wonderful volunteers at local charities, the Mayor, and several children from local schools in being presented to the Royal couple and at an event afterwards at Worcester’s Guildhall. What struck me, as so many have already reported was her smile, her bright humorous eyes, her genuine interest in the people to whom she was introduced and the instant connection she formed with children.
Like any child who grew up in the Elizabethan age I was familiar with the image of the Queen not just from stamps and coins but from books ranging from Dick King Smith’s “The Queens’ Nose” to Paddington Bear. Of course, we are all familiar with her amazing appearances in the 2012 opening ceremony parachuting with James Bond and at the recent jubilee again sharing marmalade sandwiches with Paddington Bear. All these cultural reference’s present aspects of our late great Queen – humorous, kind, world famous but down to earth and unafraid to break with convention for a good cause.
Most recently children in all our schools up and down the country were able to celebrate and learn about our Her Majesty at her remarkable Platinum Jubilee and they joined children in successive generations in singing, dancing, and making wonderful art to celebrate a jubilee of this longest serving sovereign. I was proud as Schools minister to be able to support the distribution of a special jubilee book to children up and down the country and I hope now that it will become a treasured memento for many of her reign.
Successive generations of children – not just in this country but around the world have met and been inspired by our Queen and as well as seeing her fantastic example they have felt the warmth of her smile or caught that royal wave meant just for them and known instinctively that here was someone to be trusted.
She was at the heart of her life a head of a remarkable family a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother and all of us today feel as if we have lost someone who feels so much part of our lives, she could almost be family.
I don’t think I could put it better than Paddington Bear in saying “Thank you Ma’am, for everything”
