The nation was dealt a huge blow, following the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. An epitome of public service and duty, the Queen continued her service until the very end, appointing her fifteen Prime Minister in Liz Truss just days before she passed away.
For almost an entire nation, the Queen and the monarchy have remained the only thing constant for almost 100 years. She had the unique ability to unite a nation, bringing people of all generations and backgrounds together.
I was fortunate to serve Her Majesty personally as a Minister of the Crown, and the first British Indian Lord in Waiting. In that role, I was on duty to serve Her Majesty whenever she needed me. I had the honour of representing Her Majesty when receiving Heads of States. It was a terrific privilege and great responsibility. Whilst it felt like a burden, I remembered that I only did a small fraction of the great burden of the state that was bestowed upon the Queen.
At a time, when perhaps our people and politics have been most divided, the Queen even in her passing has helped bring a nation together, as we mourn her passing and remember the values which made her so special.
Not so long ago, we celebrated Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. It was a time of great jubilation, as people came together up and down the country to celebrate the nation’s longest-serving monarch. Her Majesty is the personification of our nation’s great history. The Elizabethan age – as it will be known – will reflect her commitment to her people, her dedication to duty and her unwavering resolve which made her the perfect monarch for the people and the times she led.
The Queen is the most famous person on the planet. Her commitment to her people can be seen in everything she does. She is the very best of British and represents a beacon of the British spirit. She has improved and protected Britain’s reputation. Whatever culture, religion, or tradition her people come from, Her Majesty has treated everyone with respect and courtesy.
As Head of the Commonwealth, the Queen has had a special place in the hearts of Indians and Africans. An emblem of inclusivity, representing universal values of compassion and love. In the year we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of Ugandan Asians, the passing of the Queen is ever more special, as remember the role she played in welcoming us and reminding us how we are bound together by the universal threads of the Commonwealth.
In a lifetime of service, Her Majesty has witnessed the best and worst of times. From the harrowing experiences of the Second World War, to winning the World Cup in 1966, witnessing the Gulf and Falkland Wars, hosting the London 2012 Olympic Games, to quite literally surviving the Covid-19 pandemic, the Queen has been with us every step of the way. Her resilience and courage represent the very best of being British.
This country will never be the same again. As we mourn her loss, many will feel a huge void in our lives, as we come to terms with the fact that we will not see her on her screens her day. However, now is the time that we mark to pay tribute to her commitment to others and her innate decency.
Few in this world have earnt this level of respect, admiration, and love from so many. She was earnt that love, not because of all she has done, or for how long she has done it, but because of the way she has done it and the way she has empowered us all. We celebrate her not just for representing our great nation, but for making it greater. We celebrate her not just for being our Queen, but for being a Queen for all her people.
