At Era24UK Services, we are deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Her Majesty the Queen. At this terribly sad time, our thoughts are with the entire British Royal Family and the nation, as we grieve her immeasurable loss.
I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY WITH FEELINGS OF PROFOUND SORROW. THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, MY BELOVED MOTHER, WAS AN INSPIRATION AND EXAMPLE TO ME AND TO ALL MY FAMILY, AND WE OWE HER THE MOST HEART-FELT DEBT ANY FAMILY COULD OWE TO THEIR MOTHER, FOR HER LOVE, AFFECTION, GUIDANCE, UNDERSTANDING, AND EXAMPLE.
QUEEN ELIZABETH WAS A LIFE WELL-LIVED. A PROMISE THAT DESTINY KEPT. AND SHE IS MOURNED MOST DEEPLY IN HER PASSING. THAT PROMISE OF LIFELONG SERVICE, I RENEW TO YOU ALL TODAY. ALONGSIDE THE PERSONAL GRIEF THAT ALL MY FAMILY ARE FEELING, WE ALSO SHARE WITH SO MANY OF YOU IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, IN ALL THE COUNTRIES, WHERE THE QUEEN WAS HEAD OF STATE, IN THE COMMONWEALTH, AND ACROSS THE WORLD, A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE FOR THE MORE THAN 70 YEARS IN WHICH MY MOTHER AS QUEEN SERVED THE PEOPLE OF SO MANY NATIONS.
IN 1947, ON HER 21st BIRTHDAY, SHE PLEDGED IN A BROADCAST FROM CAPETOWN TO THE COMMONWEALTH, TO DEVOTE HER LIFE, WHETHER IT BE SHORT OR LONG, TO THE SERVICE OF HER PEOPLE. THAT WAS MORE THAN A PROMISE. IT WAS A PROFOUND PERSONAL COMMITMENT, WHICH DEFINED HER WHOLE LIFE. SHE MADE SACRIFICES FOR DUTY.
HER DEDICATION AND DEVOTION WERE SOVEREIGN. NEVER WAVERED, THROUGH TIMES OF CHANGE AND PROGRESS, THROUGH TIMES OF JOY AND CELEBRATION. AND THROUGH TIMES OF SADNESS AND LOSS. IN HER LIFE OF SERVICE, WE SAW THAT ABIDING LOVE OF TRADITION, TOGETHER WITH THAT ABILITY TO EMBRACE PROGRESS, WHICH MAKES US GREAT AS A NATION.
THE AFFECTION, ADMIRATION, AND RESPECT SHE INSPIRED BECAME THE HALLMARK OF HER REIGN. AND AS EVERY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY CAN TESTIFY, SHE COMBINED THESE QUALITIES WITH WARMTH, HUMOR, AND AN UNERRING ABILITY AS ALWAYS TO SEE THE BEST IN PEOPLE. I HONOR MY MOTHER AS A TRIBUTE TO HER SERVICE, AND I KNOW HER DEATH BRINGS GREAT SADNESS TO SO MANY OF YOU, AND I SHARE THAT SENSE OF LOSS BEYOND MEASURE WITH YOU ALL.
WHEN THE QUEEN CAME TO THE THRONE, BRITAIN AND THE WORLD WAS STILL COPING WITH THE PRIVATIONS AND AFTERMATH OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AND STILL LIVING BY THE CONVENTIONS OF EARLIER TIME. IN THE COURSE OF THE LAST 70 YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN OUR SOCIETY BECOME ONE OF MANY CULTURES, OF MANY FAITHS.
THE INSTITUTION OF THE STATE HAS CHANGED IN TURN. BUT THROUGH ALL CHANGES AND CHALLENGES, OUR NATION AND THE WIDER FAMILY OF REALMS, OF WHOSE TALENTS, TRADITIONS, AND ACHIEVEMENTS I AM SO INEXPRESSIVELY PROUD, HAVE PROSPERED AND FLOURISHED. OUR VALUES HAVE REMAINED AND MUST REMAIN CONSTANT. THE ROLE AND THE DUTIES OF THE MONARCHY ALSO REMAIN.
AS DOES THE SOVEREIGN’S PARTICULAR RELATIONSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, THE CHURCH IN WHICH MY OWN FAITH IS SO DEEPLY ROOTED. IN THAT FAITH, AND THE VALUES IT INSPIRED, I HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP TO CHERISH A SENSE OF DUTY TO OTHERS, AND TO HOLD IN THE GREATEST RESPECT THE PRECIOUS ADDITIONS, FREEDOMS, RESPONSIBILITIES, TRADITIONS, FREEDOMS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR UNIQUE HISTORY AND OUR SYSTEM OF PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT.
AS THE QUEEN HERSELF DID WITH SUCH UNSWAYING DEVOTION, I TOO NOW SOLEMNLY PLEDGE MYSELF, THROUGHOUT THE REMAINING TIME GOD GRANTS ME TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES AT THE HEART OF OUR NATION. AND WHEREVER YOU MAY LIVE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, OR IN THE REALMS AND TERRITORIES ACROSS THE WORLD, AND WHATEVER MAY BE YOUR BACKGROUND OR BELIEFS, I SHALL ENDEAVOR TO SERVE YOU WITH LOYALTY, RESPECT, AND LOVE, AS I HAVE THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
MY LIFE WILL OF COURSE CHANGE WHEN I TAKE UP MY NEW RESPONSIBILITIES. IT WILL NO LONGER BE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO GIVE SO MUCH OF MY TIME AND ENERGIES TO THE CHARITIES AND ISSUES FOR WHICH I CARE SO DEEPLY. BUT I KNOW THIS IMPORTANT WORK WILL GO ON IN THE TRUSTED HANDS OF OTHERS. THIS IS ALSO A TIME OF CHANGE FOR MY FAMILY.
I CAN’T, WITH WITHOUT THE LOVING HELP OF MY DARLING WIFE CAMILLA, IN OUR TOGETHER 17 YEARS AGO, SHE BRINGS HER QUEEN CONSULT, I KNOW SHE WILL BRING TO HER NEW ROLE, STEADFAST DUTY AS I HAVE COME TO RELY ON SO MUCH. AS MY HEIR WILLIAM NOW ASSUMES THE SCOTTISH TITLE WHICH HAS MEANT SO MUCH TO ME.
HE SUCCEEDS ME AS DUKE OF CORNWALL AND TAKES ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE DUTCH OF CORNWALL WHICH I HAVE UNDERTAKEN FOR MORE THAN FIVE DECADES. TODAY, I AM PROUD TO CREATE IN THE PRINCE OF WALES, TO THE COUNTRY, TO WHOSE COUNTRY WHOSE TITLE I HAVE BEEN SO GREATLY PRIVILEGED TO BEAR, DURING SO MUCH OF MY LIFE, AND DUTY.
WITH KATHERINE BESIDE HIM, OUR NEW PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES, WILL, I KNOW, CONTINUE TO INSPIRE AND LEAD OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION, HELPING TO BRING THE MARGINAL TO THE CENTIGRAM, WHERE VITAL HELP CAN BE GIVEN. I WANT ALSO TO EXPRESS MY LOVE FOR HARRY AND MEGHAN, AS THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD THEIR LIVES OVERSEAS.
IN A LITTLE OVER A WEEK’S TIME, WE WILL COME TOGETHER AS A NATION, AS A COMMONWEALTH, AND INDEED A GLOBAL COMMUNITY, TO LAY MY BELOVED MOTHER TO REST. IN OUR SORROW, LET US REMEMBER, AND DRAW STRENGTH FROM THE LIGHT OF HER EXAMPLE. ON BEHALF OF ALL MY FAMILY, I CAN ONLY OFFER THE MOST SINCERE AND HEARTFELT THANKS FOR YOUR CONDOLENCES AND SUPPORT.
THEY MEAN MORE TO ME THAN I CAN EVER POSSIBLY EXPRESS. AND TO MY DARLING MAMA, AS YOU BEGIN YOUR LAST GREAT JOURNEY, TO JOIN MY DEAR LATE PAPA, I WANT SIMPLY TO SAY THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND DEVOTION TO OUR FAMILY, AND TO THE FAMILY OF NATIONS YOU HAVE SERVED SO DILIGENTLY ALL THESE YEARS.
