Minutes:
Cllr Suna Hurman, Deputy Mayor read the poem Floral Tribute.
Evening will come, however determined the late afternoon.
Limes and oaks in their last green flush, pearled in September mist.
I have conjured a lily to light these hours, a token of thanks.
Zones and auras of soft glare framing the brilliant globes.
A promise made and kept for life - that was your gift -
Because of which, here is a gift in return, glovewort to some,
Each shining bonnet guarded by stern lance-like leaves.
The country loaded its whole self into your slender hands,
Hands that can rest, now, relieved of a century’s weight.
Evening has come. Rain on the black locks and dark Munros.
Lily of the Valley, a namesake almost, a favourite flower
Interlaced with your famous bouquets the restrained
Zeal and forceful grace of its lanterns each fluorescent
A silent bill disclosing a singular voice. A blurred new day
Breaks uncrowned on remote peaks and public parks, and
Everything turned on these luminous petals and deep roots
This Lily that drives between spire and tree, whose brightness
Holds and glows beyond the life and border of its bloom.
Cllr Nesil Caliskan, Leader of the Council
Over the past 10 days the country has mourned the death of the Queen who loyally served our country for more than 70 years.
Our Full Council meeting this evening is an opportunity for members to commentate on an extraordinary life lived, recognising the outstanding service to the people of this country and the Commonwealth, service which is far too difficult to encapsulate in words.
It’s unsurprising that, according to reports, Her Majesty’s funeral was watched by a staggering 28 million people in the UK and as a many as 4 billion worldwide.
As the most recognisable woman in the world, a constant in the lives for most of us, the Queen has been the figurehead that many in our nation turned to for comfort and reassurance at times of uncertainty and distress.
From a World War to a global pandemic, she demonstrated a leadership that millions welcomed, often seeming to find the right words at exactly the right time. And of course, for seven decades, families up and down the country have planned their Christmas dinner around the time that the Queen’s Christmas message would be televised.
Madam Mayor, there is of course a view that disagrees with monarchies as a principle. But there is also an undeniable and an overwhelming affection towards the monarchy in this country, and across the world. Much of that is undoubtedly down to the Queen herself; her kindness, that so many have given testimonies about, and the giving of her life to the service of other people. A lifetime commitment she carried out until the very end; a motivation perhaps instilled by the Christian faith that was so deeply important to her.
Madam Mayor, I learnt about Her Majesty’s death whilst I was on holiday abroad. Upon my return, after catching the earliest flight available, I joined the rest of the country with being deeply moved by the Queen’s passing – an intriguing feeling when you don’t know someone personally, and yet the connection to her for many of us is so real.
Madam Mayor, as most in this chamber will know, I’m the granddaughter of immigrants who grew up in the British Colony, Cyprus. Apart from perhaps the home-made Turkish food we eat, there is very little I have in common with my grandparents in terms of my childhood – apart from Queen Elizabeth II.
Earlier today, as I thought about what I would say in this speech, I recalled my grandmother telling me a few years ago that she has a vivid memory of a portrait of her Majesty the Queen hanging on the wall of her classroom. Her school was in her small village called Lefkara, up in the Cyprus mountains. Decades later, on another island but a completely different country, for me, her granddaughter, a hanging portrait of the Queen has been a familiar sight throughout my life.
I also reflect on a conversation I had with the Leader of the Opposition the other day, when we noted that the political groups in the London Borough of Enfield are being led by a Caliskan and a Georgiou – a legacy if you like of the British Colony and Commonwealth which the Queen loved dearly.
Madam Mayor, as our country comes out of this period of mourning, the country will look ahead to the coronation of the new Monarch. I know our communities in Enfield and members across the chamber will want to come together to mark the occasion in Enfield. In the coming months, as we wait to hear the coronation plans from Buckingham Palace, as Leader of the Council, I’ll ensure we establish a cross party working group so that the historic occasion can be marked.
Madam Mayor, she reigned and lived for so long, but the death of the Queen is a reminder of human mortality. It’s also a moment to reflect on the most extraordinary life lived and the 70 years of service to the nation. May Queen Elizabeth II rest in peace.
Cllr Alessandro Georgiou, Leader of the Opposition
On behalf of the opposition and people of Cockfosters I would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to his Majesty the King, the Queen Consort, and the entire Royal Family for the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.
Can I also thank Council officers and indeed the Leader of the Council for the swift way and going above and beyond in the way that they have in making sure that we had a smooth and respectful series of services including this one, and making sure business continued as usual.
Like hundreds of thousands of Her Majesty's loyal subjects and fellow Members here I queued for thirteen hours to pay my respects to our late Sovereign during the lying-in state. What struck me was as we got closer to Westminster Hall, rather than people looking more tired and beaten down by the cold and physical exhaustion, they became more and more full, more determined, and yes, a little more excited at the prospect of being part of history. I believe it was only this Queen, Queen Elizabeth the Second, who gave nothing but devotion, love, and dedicated service to us loyal subjects, who could have elicited such an outpouring of grief from so many across Enfield, the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and the world.
This Chamber itself is a perfect illustration of the reverence and loyalty we have for our Queen. There have been thousands of people over the years that have passed through those very doors and a once receiving their citizenship, that they pledge allegiance to a president or Prime Minister or a constitution. No. They proudly pledged allegiance to Her Majesty, knowing that she was now their Queen, joining us as a fellow subject during the seventy years of the second great Elizabethan age. It is also important to note has already been noted rightfully by the leader, that the Queen's role as the Head of the Commonwealth is relevant also to this Chamber, and its past and present Members. If we believe when the Borough was founded in 1965. We would have Members elected throughout the years who are either born in whose heritage was from Ghana, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Cyprus and other countries throughout the Commonwealth.
We will hear later, I'm sure, from those Members who met the Queen when she visited Enfield in 1983, possibly, an, and we are fortunate that we have former Councillors such as Anne-Marie Pearce, and Terry Neville, who were Mayor and Cabinet Member for Environment respectively, during the Queen's second visit, and were lucky enough to have met her. Being the Councillor of a Cockfosters Ward, which includes the Trent Park Estate is fortunate in many ways, but many may not know that her Majesty was a frequent visitor to the estate, not only during her reign, but also as a young princess. Visiting with her late sister Princess Margaret, parents, and grandparents as a guest of Sir Philip Sassoon. Indeed, there are some lovely pictures of the two young princesses playing together in the grounds of the estates.
As a Christian, Your Worship, I also recognise the Queen's role as defender of the faith and supreme governor of the Church of England. We must remember that before wearing the imperial crown on day of her Coronation, the Queen knelt at the Westminster Abbey altar, and for a moment but for a moment of silent private prayer, understanding that she was first and foremost a servant of God. Her Majesty cherished her Christian values, which shaped her life and guided her reign, and her choice of Psalm 23 to be sung at her state funeral.
The first part of which I would like to now repeat, demonstrating her strong beliefs.
‘The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod, and thy staff, comfort me.’
Her Majesty said on the passing of her devoted husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip. Grief is the price we pay for love. And we are grieving because we loved our Queen.
May Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, rest in peace and rise in glory. God save the King.
Cllr Ergin Erbil
Every corner of our nation is experiencing a huge sense of loss, and as we grieve, we have been reflecting on Her Majesty’s lifetime of service, devotion, and dedication to the people of Enfield, the United Kingdom, and the Commonwealth.
Her Majesty the Queen will be respected for her service and dedication to our nation for generations to come. Her frequent visits to constituencies up and down the country still live on in people’s memories.
The queen’s visit to Edmonton Green in 2003, for example, was one of these instances. On her tour throughout Enfield in 2003, Her Majesty visited Fore Street in Edmonton Green, Salmons Brook, and Edmonton Green Shopping Centre where she opened the Edmonton Credit Union in the arcade which aimed to provide financial help for residents.
Throughout her service, the queen brought the values and conviction embodied by the greatest generation of our country into the shaping of a modern Britain.
We can all learn from our Queen’s unwavering efforts to build bridges and bring people together across divides, where she put service to her country in front of her own interests.
May she rest in eternal peace.
I, and my fellow Councillors in this Chamber, have faith that His Majesty The King Charles the Third’s succession to the throne will build upon this legacy and usher in a new era for our nation. We wish him every good fortune as he embarks on his reign.
God save the King!
Cllr Hannah Dyson
Last weekend, my six-year-old daughter and I reflected. I talked about her late Majesty at the Winchmore Hill Quaker Meeting House as part of the recent Open House weekend. As we wandered through the garden and sat under the peace tree, admiring the abundance of bright green acorns, we talked about how grateful we are.
The Queen lived her best life, will be buried with the late Duke of Edinburgh. After a very long and happy marriage.
Madam Mayor, the Queen has always been there for us as a mother figure for the country. Her moral code was impeccable, and she set standards of behaviour. The Queen had decorum, but also saw the funny side of life, which balanced the formality of her job with the humour of a situation. The Queen’s smile said it all, it was warm, sometimes mischievous, but always gracious. She liked meeting people and being informed. Everyone looked up to her, the Queen was patient, kind, and regal.
In the 1970s the Queen smiled at my parents from her open carriage going down The Strand, which my mum remembers so fondly and has spoken of over the years.
The Queen met so many people in her lifetime, and wanted to be seen by her subjects, whether in person attending church, travelling in an open top car, in the carriage, and on television the Queen's coronation, was the first to be televised.
In the Queens younger years, she painted an idyllic picture of a mother to her children with a dashing ex-Navy Officer Prince Phillip. She was very close to her glamorous sister, Princess Margaret, and as the oldest sister was her mentor, the Queen will be sorely missed by her family, friends, British public, Commonwealth, presidents of past and present and the whole world.
Cllr Sabri Ozaydin
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to pay my respects.
As I have served as the Mayor of Enfield for the last 2 years, I have been invited to so many events and places, everywhere I have been I have felt the love and respect people had for our late Queen.
Not only the residents of Enfield but everyone that I met was so proud of being British or living in Britain and having her as our Queen. Living under her monarchy and leadership Great Britain Developed and established so many great things. She set the standards for the rest of the world.
I am so saddened by her loss. I would like to give my respects to our new King Charles the III who I’m sure will provide as good representation as his beloved mama.
I wish him all the best. God save the King.
Cllr James Hockney
Through the tumultuous tides and waves of history, Her Majesty the Queen was a steadying hand over troubled waters.
Her Majesty the Queen was our nation's North Star, ever present, ever dependable over seventy years, who now gently gazes down to us from the heavens, and it's difficult to express in few words, the sense of loss.
But sometimes the answer is right before you. My daughter gave asked her teacher, teacher to do a tribute to the Queen. It simply says
’To the Queen. You were a good Queen. We will miss you’. I have to say I struggled to find better words than that of my daughter. And it takes me back thirty years to my own childhood.
Thirty years ago, my school was celebrating its four hundred and fiftieth anniversary with six other schools and we were invited to send each a choir to perform in the Royal Albert Hall before a packed audience, the Royal Family and Her Majesty the Queen.
Now, I think it's probably fair to say I probably make a better speech maker here in the Chamber than I do holding a tune. But they obviously saw that I worked very hard to do my best and it was a proud honour to join the choir and one my abiding memories during the day long rehearsals at the Royal Albert Hall was the conductor said to us when we were rehearsing the national anthem, he said if you all give your best, then the Queen may hear the finest ever recital of the national anthem.
Now my friends and I, we were twelve, but we fully recognised even at that age that there would have been far better singers, performers far more talented that went before us. But we gave it our all. We gave it our all not because we thought we'd be attached or any of the other performances, but we gave it our all because we are singing to our Queen.
And that one memory is one of countless billions of personal memories that people have all around the world. And I very much hope that that is a comfort to our King and the Royal Family in their grief and each of those billions of personal memories was a drop. It would fill an ocean of thankfulness and gratitude for life well lived. And memories can fade and evaporate in time. But what does not fade is a legacy and deeds of action. And if all of us rededicate ourselves to our communities in the memory and example the inspiration of our Queen and serve our community better through deeds and action that can surely be no fine attribute to the memory of our Majesty, the Queen from this Council.
Cllr Doug Taylor
I offer my comments to those that were heard and will hear for the rest of this evening.
Her Majesty the Queen was the only monarch I have ever known. Her reign covered 18 General elections, 15 Prime Ministers, 12 US presidents and 9 Popes. It is now a period of uncertainty and many people have commented about the constant security that she represented. Many lines have been written and many words spoken since her passing, and who am I to say anything new to what's already been said?
Some have talked about an epithet for her, and suggestions are varied of course. There are examples from history, William the Conqueror, Alfred the Great, Edward the Confessor, Richard the Lionheart. Suggestions for our late Queen include Elizabeth a Great, Elizabeth the dutiful. Elizabeth the steadfast, Elizabeth the longstanding. Forgive me if I add my suggestions.
The reign of the late Queen is bookended by one end of the Second World War, and now the conflicts in Ukraine. Society has changed dramatically during that period, in terms of gender, in terms of sexuality, in terms of race. Technology, work patterns, life expectancy, and even the number of pence in the pound are different. From 1952. The Empire became the Commonwealth. While nations became republics within the Commonwealth, the Queen remained without question, the Head of the Commonwealth, the glue that kept the Commonwealth together.
It said that she planned her funeral and I suspect there is some truth in that. On her coffin Myrtle foliage grown from a sprig of Myrtle given to it in a wedding bouquet in 1947. The hymn, the Lord's My Shepherd was sung at her wedding, the anthem by Vaughn Williams was written for her Coronation. That continuity, that tradition, that certainty, that symbol of the nation is something that has passed, and I think is deeply unsettling for many in our community, in her Christmas broadcast in 2021 she said it was a moment to give thanks for enormous changes over the last seventy years. I'm sure she will be confident in the new king to ensure that we move with confidence where herd passing creates that insecurity. The values of decency, dignity, stewardship, and responsibility that were embodied in one person need to continue in the new King. While politicians came or went, policies come and go, like night and day Queen Elizabeth was a predictable, reassuring presence. That is why we show so revered in this country, and why I think Elizabeth the revered is the most appropriate epitaph. May His Majesty, have the wisdom and strength to continue in his mother's footsteps.
God save the King.
Cllr Ruby Sampson
I have learnt a lot about grief this last year. The most helpful saying I was taught for coping with grief is that ‘Grief is all the unexpressed love you never got to give someone.’
It is the perfect summation of the human experience of losing a loved one. But the experience of losing the Queen is a unique one.
She is not a stranger and not a member of our intimate family.
But over the years we have fostered her as the nation’s grandmother.
In 2018, four years ago, almost a third of people in the UK had met the Queen. And even if you haven’t met the Queen, she played a huge part in all our lives, so we feel like we’ve all had our own personal connection to her.
Whether that connection was every time you stamped a postcard, every time you used your passport or every time you watched the Queen’s speech on Christmas Day. She was there.
Growing up the monarchy was always something I admired. My parents took me to the Trooping of the Colour, we visited Buckingham Palace together and we had a street party back when we were celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
My love for the monarchy started a long time ago. Back in 2011 when I was almost 11 years old my dad and I camped out for William and Kate’s Wedding. We got to Whitehall Gardens at 4am and were in the first row of campers. And only moments after we sat down, we made friends with two ladies who had come all the way from North Carolina, just to get a glimpse of the Queen.
I’ll always remember the moment the carriages rolled past us, and I’ll tell you now – she looked right at me and waved. And I have the photos here to prove it!
The Royal Family are perhaps even more a part of ordinary people’s lives now which only strengthens the monarchy. I made a one-year anniversary card for Prince William and Kate and was amazed when I received a reply. Probably something I’ll be showing my grandchildren, telling them, “The future King and I once corresponded!” It came with many Royal stamps on the envelope and a postcard inside with a photo of them in their engagement outfits saying on the back how their Royal Highness were so touched by your kind efforts upon wishing them a happy anniversary.
The three words that come to mind most when talking about the Queen and celebrating her life are: community, respect, and bonding.
We have come together as a community to grieve and doing so for many brings back the pain of grieving the loved ones we’ve personally lost in recent years. That person who should have been sitting on the sofa with you on Monday watching the funeral or at the end of the phone after these big moments. But we are united and strengthened in our feelings of grief for Her Majesty the Queen. There is beautiful sense of togetherness in morning someone whose whole life dedicated to the service of our country.
I wish King Charles III a reign full of as much devotion and love as we have had for Queen Elizabeth II.
Cllr George Savva MBE
The end of an era.
Queen Elizabeth the II. Rest in peace.
Long live King Charles III.
Over the years I have had the opportunity to meet a number of Members of the Royal Family at various venues and events. I have met her Majesty the Queen, Princess Ann Prince Charles and many more.
You may be surprised to know that I vividly remember the Queen’s coronation which took place 18 months after her proclamation, so I was old enough to remember that the celebrations took place in my village in Cyprus at the school playground.
In those days Cyprus was a British Colony and at the same time a member of the commonwealth and still is and will continue to be a member of the commonwealth.
So, I became aware of the monarchy at a very young age and when I came to England many, many years ago I did follow the work carried out by the royals.
My parents were among the first generation of immigrants who came to this country in the late 50’s from Cyprus.
Years later it just occurred to me to ask my mother why in the middle of all the photographs she displayed in the house by the fireplace a large size photo (larger than an A4 size) larger in comparison to the rest of the other photographs was that of the Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth III.
The answer to my question, as to why does she keep the photograph of Her Majesty the Queen? She answered spontaneously, “because she is a member of our family”
I did not ask the reason why but decided to find out for myself.
I found out that Her Majesty the Queen had Charisma, (in Italian carismatico same as in Greek) she was an affectionate and decent human being she had a lovely innocence full of warmth friendly smile. One felt she was a relative, she was indeed the nations mum, be it sister, auntie, grandma, great grandma, she had set an example to us all as a good caring leader, an Excellent Monarch.
She set an unparalleled example of a wife, Head of State, and family.
The many problems that were created were inflicted by others not herself. Her Majesty was never the cause of any problems, and she has never caused any problems. She has never hurt anybody.
Last week we saw history in the making. 70 years of dedicated service to her country, saw her subjects paying their utmost respect to a monarch that kept the Country and her family going through thick and thin, as she stood like a rock in troubled waters. Everyone ran to her for advice and help.
Nations who strive to keep the culture and traditions will survive. Her Majesty faced so much unfair criticism, but the Monarch did not react to any of that negative criticism.
As the bible says Blessed are the meek for, they shall inherit the earth Amen.
Queen Elizabeth II is dead. Long live King Charles III.
Cllr Michael Rye OBE
When I became Leader of the Council in 2002, for some obscure reason, I thought that Enfield had been neglected by Senior Royals and that it was about time one of them came to visit us.
So, we put an invitation into Buckingham Palace, not to the Queen but for a Senior Royal to visit the London Borough of Enfield, very much to our surprise, it was the Queen who put herself forward for this visit, and as you would imagine, there was a huge number of meetings with equarious advisors, every suggestion we made right down to the detail of the menu for lunch, at Forty Hall had to be signed off and agreed by Her Majesty herself.
I'll never forget on the day in Edmonton turning the corner into the precinct because the people took the roof off with loudness of their welcome, and it was an absolute joy.
Now all the best laid plans do not always run as you would like. And on the day, the Queen was on her second visit, not far from here at the marketplace with Mayor councillor Anne-Marie Pearce, looking at the various stalls and we had an alarm because the sniffer dog at Forty Hall had discovered some explosives, now if I was to tell you the visit took place in November, that might give you a slight clue. There was unbeknownst to us some fireworks that had not been let off that had been left in a bush, so the message came back, that there was a delay, so poor Councillor Anne-Marie Pearce takes the Queen around the marketplace again, and there was a stall at the time, which dealt with antique jewellery and there's a wonderful aide memoir in front of you which is a lovely picture of the Queen, and you can see she's wearing rather a gorgeous brooch, and the stallholder said to her Majesty ‘that is a wonderful piece of bling Your Majesty, would you like me to give you a price for it’? Which the Queen’s reply was ‘that has been in my family for rather a long time.’ And that was a very polite way of saying, no I do not want to part with it.
We then had the pleasure of lunch and the thing that struck me is how difficult it was to be a constitutional monarch. So, there you are sitting around with guests from the voluntary sector and so on, and the Queen was engaged and interested in everything but of course, it's very difficult to reply and comment without actually expressing an opinion, and I think one of the things that I would say about the Queen, is that she was the absolute exemplar of what a constitutional monarch should be, and I think that the gold standard of Monarchy is one that all will be judged against in the future.
And it was my great privilege for that lunch that I had to stand and say, ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding, I would like to propose the toast to Her Majesty the Queen. And I think it was a marvellous day for the Borough.
That's probably a highlight of my time as leader the Council and I know that she was hugely engaged in what we were doing in this Borough.
I'm delighted that King Charles III is succeeding
her. I met him first in 1980 at University of Wales St
David’s Lampeter. I met him subsequently twice in Enfield and
he was the man that invested me with my OBE. He is an absolute
gentleman. He is deeply interested in everything in this country
and having been the longest serving Prince of Wales, together with
the Prince of Wales Trust and all that he's done. I'm convinced he
will carry on the great work of his mother. Long live King
Charles.
Cllr Margaret Greer
Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor ascended to the throne on the sixth of February 1952 at the age of 25, following the death of her father King George VI.
A year later, on the second of June 1953 at her coronation, the Queen stated the following to the world.
“I declare before you all, my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong”.
Madam Mayor, Queen Elizabeth the Second has been a symbolic figure of grace, love, and leadership for over 70 years.
Her tireless and timeless devotion to her people across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth has been steadfast.
Britain and much of the world is mourning the end of a reign that lasted longer than any other in the nation's history, a reign that spanned many decades, with unprecedented change and upheaval.
Queen Elizabeth the Second was more famous for more years, than anyone else on the planet. Loved by many she was universally revered, and it showed with the thousands who queue for hours and days to pay their last respects as she lay in Westminster Hall.
My lasting memory, Madam Mayor, as a final symbolic act was performed at her funeral was removal of the items on her coffin.
The septa is a symbol of earthly power. The sovereign globe symbolises Godly power, and the cross above the globe representing Christ’s domain over earth. And the crown as the sovereigns’ power is symbolically relinquished and passed to her successor.
In the words of Simon Armitage, the poet laureate to the Queen.
“The country loaded its whole self in your slender hands.
Hands that can rest now, relieved on the centuries weight - evening has come.”
Madam Mayor, my two simple words to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor are ‘Thank you’.
Cllr Sinan Boztas
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second was more than a monarch, she defined an era. A stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy, who knew the dangers and the provisions of world war and worked alongside the British people and delight them during the devastation of global pandemic looking forward to better days ahead.
The kind-hearted Queen has left a lasting impression on her country and the century. Her Majesty served the British people with exceptional dignity. Her personal commitment to the role and extraordinary sense of duty were the hallmarks of her period as Queen which will hold a unique place in British history.
She was a much admired and respected monarch. She granted stability in times of crisis and has been able to keep the value of tradition alive in society in constant and profound evolution. She performed her duties with the dedication, grace, and humility. Her contribution to the United Kingdom and to the world will be recorded in history. And she will always be remembered fondly as a great world leader.
The United Kingdom has lost an exceptional Monarch who left a deep mark on history. Her sense of duty, commitment, and whose whole life was devoted to serving the people of United Kingdom, setting an example for all of us and will remain as a solid and valuable legacy for future generations.
May Her Majesty rest in peace.
Cllr Pat Gregory
On Thursday, the eighth of September we lost our most gracious Queen, who did her duty right up to the end. Never in our history have we had the most loyal, wonderful person as Head of State.
We send her family and friends, our prayers, and we will all miss her greatly. Two of her quotes were ‘the only way to live my life is to try and do what is right, and to put my trust in God’ and another quote was ‘Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace is an inspiration and an anchor in my life’.
I've quoted and changed a poem by an unknown author, this is for our King. ‘A limb has fallen from the family tree. But you keep hearing the voice that says, grieve not for me. Remember the best times the laughter the song, the good life I lived while I was still strong. Continue my heritage. I'm counting on you. Keep smiling and surely the sun will shine through. My mind is at ease. My soul is at rest. Remember my reign. I was truly blessed. Continue tradition, no matter how small. Go forth with the knowledge in heaven room for all. May you see God's light on your path ahead with the help of your Queen Consort who you wed, caring for your people. I know you will continue my heritage; I'm counting on you.
Cllr Nawshad Ali
Good evening, everyone. In the name of God, the most merciful, the most compassionate. I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to deliver my maiden speech on such a historic moment.
I am deeply saddened by the death of the Queen. From my constituents and myself, I offer the deepest condolences to her bereaved family.
Queen Elizabeth II was a great monarch – not only in the history of the UK, but in the history of the whole world. She won the hearts and minds of everyone, reigning 56 nations in all continents.
In an everchanging world – politically, technologically – in a world of uncertainty, she remained the true constant over seventy years. For many of us, she has been the only monarch of the United Kingdom we have ever known. She was loved, admired, and respected by all nations on Earth.
Yes, we have lost her – but she has left a wealth of legacy that will last for hundreds of years to come. Her death made this chamber, as well as the whole country, united in mourning.
During the pandemic, her simple message to the nation – that we would see our families again, that we would be together again – gave us strength and courage when we needed it the most. We are together again.
On top of mourning for the Queen, we welcome the King ascending to his new role. King Charles III has devoted his entire life to serving the country. Together we support him in his efforts to continue doing so. I wish him a long and successful reign. God save the King.
Cllr Chris Dey
It is with tremendous sadness, and as the nation mourns that I sat down to write these words in tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Great, as I’m sure she will now be known. The Queen has been the embodiment of devotion and service, not just to us here in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and not even across the Commonwealth of Nations but as has been evident in recent days across the entire world.
Your Worship, Her Majesty has embraced a lifetime of service, working right up to her dying days, inviting none less than her 15th Prime Minister to form a government in her name. At 96 what a marvel and inspiration she has been to us all. When the overwhelming majority of us would have been retired for three decades Her Majesty has continued to work to the benefit of us all.
The Queen when she was simply Princess Elizabeth on the occasion of her 21st birthday made a promise to us all, across The United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, that she would devote her life in service be that life short or be it long and my goodness has she not delivered that vow in spades.
Her Majesty has calmly and quietly governed us as a tremendous and unstinting Head of State as Prime Ministers have come and gone. Serene, Sincere, Steadfast, Elegant and Caring are all words one could use to describe Queen Elizabeth. Those who have met her talk of her great sense of humour and sense of adventure.
She has prepared her Son and Heir for his entire lifetime and surely that must be one of her greatest legacies. His Majesty King Charles III comes to the Throne at a time when many of his age have already retired.
Your Late Majesty it is in grief that I say May you Rest in Peace and in Rise in Glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.
And it is with renewed vigour that I say Long live The King. Your Majesty May your reign be long, healthy, and happy. GOD SAVE THE KING.
Cllr Kate Anolue
I think I’ll have to travel right back to Nigeria. When in 1956, I, as a young girl of nearly seven years old, just about the age of my granddaughter. Our parents cared for our uniform so nicely. We had a beret and we had in our flats, our little flats.
And all we heard is the Queen has come. The Queen has come but we couldn't wait. We didn't know who the Queen was or what to expect. Then on that very day, what a beautiful sight it was, elegant like an angel. We stood and waved and everybody, I tell you it was wonderful because I can still remember that vividly. But then how lucky am I to have followed the Queen to her home when I arrived in England? And I thought I'm the lucky girl and the first place I wanted to go was Buckingham Palace. And when I got there, I couldn't believe that someone lived in this. I said it's a castle, nobody lives there, it is marvellous, so big. And I felt very very happy that at last I followed the Queen; the Queen came to my country, and I followed the Queen to her country.
Then, how lucky could I be again? When I became a counsellor. I was one of those who were asked do you want to go to the Queen's garden party? I said of course yes why not? There I am, I met the Queen in life. And the first thing I did was to ring my brothers and I said guess what? Guess what? I've been to the Queen’s home not just the Queen’s country, but I've actually visited the Queen and I took out my hand to shake the Queen’s hand. I said she was wearing gloves, but I still believe she shook my hand.
Then to be lucky again. When I was mayor, I celebrated the jubilee, the Queen’s jubilee, and I think that's a very, very fantastic story for me. Because when I remember the Queen, I remember Nigeria, I remember how I got here, I remember shaking her hands, and not only that, I remember my parents. I have only one regret and that is, I didn't realise my parents married the same year as the Queen. So, when they celebrated their fiftieth wedding day, I did go to Nigeria to celebrate that with them. What I didn't know was that all the people that married the same year as the Queen they got a card. I have a big regret all the time. I kept saying I wish I knew because I could have got that card for my parents because they're married the same year.
But the Queen was a wonderful woman. Somebody I cherished, someone I admire because myself as a woman, I know how hard it takes when you're working hard and bringing up children not to talk about carrying the whole of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. It's just too much and then of course the whole country is in the Commonwealth.
It is somebody who is great. Somebody who is strong. Somebody who has got love for the people that she cares for that can do that. We love your ma’am. We lost you that we know that you taught us so much. And I believe that you are resting there in peace with your husband, and I have seen my mum as well and my dad.
Thank you. God bless you and thank you very much. Can I just say long live King Charles, who's got a big foot to step on, but I am sure that we can all support him. Long live King Charles.
Cllr Adrian Grumi
In 1987 I swore an oath of allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II when I joined the British Army, the same oath sworn by every service man and woman for the 35 years before me and the 35 years since.
I joined the Regiment bearing her title. The Queens Regiment, which was formed in 1966 from four Regiments, the Queens Royal Surrey, The Queens own Buffs, The Royal Sussex, and our local Regiment for Enfield the Middlesex Regiment.
This evening I feel it my duty and an honour to represent all serving personnel and veterans from the Borough of Enfield in my tribute to our late Queen. To say thank you to Her Majesty for being our Commander in Chief for the last 70 years
The last two weeks have marked a nations sorrow at her death and the love that a nation and the world had for her. THE Queue, the crowds that lined the streets and the floral tributes have showed us how much we will miss our Sovereign. The Armed forces has lost its longest serving Commander-in-Chief. The Royal Family has lost a dedicated mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
Queen Elizabeth II epitomised duty, selfless commitment, and loyalty. She has been a symbol of unwavering stability for seventy years.
The State funeral on Monday was beautifully co-ordinated by every branch of our Forces, the Navy, Marines, Army and Royal Air force all played their part impeccably
May she rest in peace in St George’s chapel alongside her loving husband Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh
We have all witnessed a seamless succession of the thrown by her eldest son, King Charles the Third, he has demonstrated his own strength at this difficult time and shown the world he is ready to rule. God save The King.
Cllr Tim Leaver
Today in Enfield as a Council we get to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth the Second who's passing is such a deep loss the Royal Family and we here in Enfield and across this nation and Commonwealth, share in that grief and loss I never expected or anticipated speaking publicly tribute to Queen Elizabeth the Second. Why would I she was always there. Always the Queen, always our Queen. The truth is most of us cannot remember a time without Queen Elizabeth the Second when she was always on the throne ever present, transcending politics with a deep love for her country and Commonwealth that love as we've seen over the last few days, given back to her by a country mourning her loss.
I'm sure we all have our own private recollections of the Queen. Perhaps when she visited events we attended, or things the Queen might have done that we'd seen and moments that we've shared of times where she touched the organisations or the causes or the communities that we value and that she so clearly valued. My own memory stem from being one of many cubs on route during the Silver Jubilee, then rushing back to street parties, or working in central London near the Royal Institution and seeing the traffic stop and the kerfuffle around the Queen making another visit to the Royal Institution for whatever event.
Ever there, our Queen getting on with her life while we got on with ours. But the Elizabethan era is over and it's 70 years has come to a close. It's so clearly a life well lived of unwavering public service, right until the end. She was an example to us all of the importance of duty and public service and we all thank her for that. And we all know that Charles the Third shares that devotion, that duty and public service and we wish him health and a long life as he begins his reign.
May the Queen rest in peace. Long live the King.
Cllr Andrew Thorp
When the news came that London Bridge had fallen, and Her Majesty had passed a profound sadness fell upon me. It felt personal in a way that I didn’t expect.
When I was six, my Mum and Dad took me to Scouts. As a Scout, I take the Promise and pledge to do my duty to the Queen. As a child I wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but I knew it was important.
Everyone knows that Scouts love earning badges, and, on the wall, there was a poster advertising the Queen’s Scout Award, the highest award a young person can achieve. 18 years later and I was the proud recipient of the award.
As a Queen’s Scout, I was asked to take on various duties and the first of these was to present the Queen with a birthday present at Windsor Castle. As I approached her, I reflected on all those occasions I had taken my Scout Promise and pledged to do my duty. But as we spoke, I was struck how in fact, she was doing her duty to us. As I tried to congratulate her, she wanted to know about my Queen’s Scout Award and the adventures I had. This was a theme of other engagements, Remembrance at the Cenotaph, celebration events at Windsor, there was always a smile and an enquiring question and an ability to make you feel special.
If you were a President, a movie star, or a Scout like me, you knew that a meeting with Her Majesty was going to be memorable.
When the news came that she had passed, and London fell silent, I joined with other Scouts to live our Promise and do our duty to The Queen for one last time. I have spent the last week supporting the lying-in-state, working with Scouts to make sure that everyone who wanted to pay their respects could and support was there for them. Hour after hour, day after day, I have seen, sorrow, respect, and admiration. Sharing stories of a life the like of which we haven’t seen before and won’t again.
The team took inspiration from Her Majesty and performed their selfless duty. Not wanting food to go to waste at the security point they delivered it to a foodbank, left over blankets went to the homeless and when wheelchairs were delivered in pieces, Scouts put them together. It’s the inspiration that she gave to others that will be Her Majesty’s enduring legacy.
She was everything that is good about our Country, she truly was Elizabeth the Great.
We now move to a new and ambitious Carolean age, and I will make a new promise to do my duty to the King. We look back in thanks and forward with optimism and a new generation of Scouts will work towards their King’s Scout Award. God save the King.
Cllr Nicki Adeleke
In recent days when discussing the Queens death, lots of things have come up in my mind. How I will never sing God save the Queen again in my lifetime. What the new stamps and bank notes will look like, or when new passports and signs say his Majesty, rather than her Majesty’s.
I also have been reflecting on how in my culture, we remember those who have departed.
The most noticeable difference is that in my culture, we wear white when we mourn the loss of an elderly person, and our funerals would be referred to as a celebration of life.
People come together to comfort each other, to remember the joy and happiness the deceased brought, and to give thanks for their life. We are sad that they’ve left us, but happy for the time we had with them.
In the news coverage, we’ve seen highlights of the Queens life, and how much we have to be grateful for. She was a mother, grandmother, great grandmother; she was a leader, a national constant through the good and bad times, and above all else, she was the perfect example of an exemplary life of public service.
My hope and prayer is that her soul rests in perfect peace, that her family may find comfort in the memories they have of her, and the knowledge that the country, the commonwealth and indeed the world, grieve with them.
I also pray that, his majesty, our King Charles III, enjoys good health, and may remain our good king and head of state, a long time to come. Long live the King.
Cllr Paul Pratt
It is under unique circumstances that I make my maiden speech in this Chamber.
A lot has been said over the last 13 days with respect to our late Queen. Much more able and eloquent people have set out the high regard in which she was held! I intend to speak about my personal memories of the Queen and my hopes for our King.
On the eighth September I was working in Pall Mall, at around 4pm, sensing the mood in the media and online I decided to go home via Buckingham Palace, A colleague and I stood at the gates to the Palace and took in all that was happening!
At about quarter past four the heavens opened and after several minutes of sheltering under my umbrella the skies cleared, to reveal a rainbow over The Mall!
By around half past four, our new Prime Minister had been told that the Queen had died and at half past six, the Royal Family announced the Queen’s death to the Public.
On a personal level, I have known no other Monarch, every Birthday and Christmas card I received in the post had a stamp with the Queen’s image on it, the first bit of money that I deposited in a bank account had the Queen’s image on it, my Passport is provided to me in the Queen’s name.
A distinct memory of the Queen from my childhood was joining a Cub Pack, part of the Cub Scout Promise is:
‘To do my duty to God and the Queen’
In hindsight the importance placed on making this promise has remained with me throughout much of my life!
As a leader the Queen had a unique talent to adapt and change while staying the same.
It was this ability which afforded her such respect.
Another memory I have of the Queen was learning that she owned part of the Countryside near where I grew up. The Duchy of Lancaster is the private estate of the British Sovereign as Duke of Lancaster. Part of this estate is a Pub called The Inn at Whitewell and is a welcome resting place after taking a walk in the Trough of Bowland!
A rite of passage for most people in the UK is going for our first drink in a pub and a lot of us will remember taking our passport so we could prove our age!
My passport requests and requires, in the name of Her Majesty,
all those whom it may concern, to allow [me] the bearer,
to pass freely without let or hinderance, and to afford [me] the bearer,
such assistance and protection as may be necessary.
With respect to our King and Duke of Lancaster, I hope that he will be allowed to rule without hinderance and that he be provided with the assistance and protection as may be necessary.
May the Queen Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory. Long Live the King.
Cllr Susan Erbil
I just like to say, during the reign of our late Queen for the last 70 years, many people have cherished treasured memories of Her Majesty the Queen since the eighth of September, many statements and news coverages were made in honour of the Queen, and one that was actually mentioned earlier by a Councillor Ruby Samson was that one third of the country have actually seen or met the Queen.
It is the Queen who has been the most commonly sighted Royal and the hardest working Queen, which we all know of and who have only known of in our last lifetime.
On a personal level, I have also seen the Queen, which I'm grateful for, in 2012 when I was serving at the Diamond Jubilee as a police cadet, I was an Enfield police cadet, which I'm really proud of, I was one of those Police Cadets who led the crowds to Buckingham Palace for the celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s sixty years of reign at the time. It was an honour to serve as a police cadet for the Queen, which I will also cherish this memory for a lifetime.
Her Majesty, the Queen Elizabeth II legacy will live with all of us may have majesty, rest, and peace.
Cllr Reece Fox
It's a great honour to rise today to give my maiden speech, and it's with great sadness that I rise to pay tribute to her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.
Two weeks ago, was the day that we all knew would come for some time, but every one of us hoped never would.
My thoughts and prayers are with King Charles III, to lose your mother in front of the world of media must be a shocking thing to go through. As we come to terms with the loss of our longest ever reading Monarch, we must always remember that she was a mother, a grandmother, and a great grandmother.
On the day, the Queen passed I was with Councillor Laban in the houses of parliament where we both work when the news broke the room went silent and everyone Labour, Conservative, Members of the House of Commons, Members of the House of Lords all stood up and with pride we sang the national anthem.
Councillor Laban and I then went back to Buckingham Palace, where just an hour after the Queen's death had been announced, the place was completely full of people who had come to lay flowers.
Last Saturday I was determined to pay my respects to the Queen, and I queued with Councillor Laban from 7am in Southwark Park to till 7pm when we reached Westminster Hall.
Queen Elizabeth the Second was quite simply one of the most remarkable people this country has ever seen. She was this country's connection, not just to the Second World War, but the Victorian era. Her first Prime Minister Winston Churchill was born in 1874 101 years before her fifteenth Prime Minister, Liz Truss.
The Queen was the last person in British public life to serve in uniform in the Second World War. When, any American president visited the United quite right too.
In the 1970s my mother, as a young girl, went to the gates of Buckingham Palace and waited for hours and hours to meet the Queen. And she's always said it was the highlight of her childhood.
In 2016, I was on Whitehall for the State Opening of Parliament and the Queen's carriage came down Whitehall and thousands and thousands of people all cheered and waved as she went past. And just think what this country asked the Queen to do when she was just 25 not only to be our Queen, but to be our Head of State, the person who signs every parliamentary bill into law, the Head of the Church of England to be a focus of national identity, unity and pride and give a sense of stability and continuity to whom every member of Parliament and of the Armed Forces swears allegiance. The former Prime Minister called her Elizabeth the Great, he was right.
Queen Elizabeth II was simply amazing. We will never see her like again.
God save the King.
Cllr Mohammed Islam
I was born in a country where the British ruled for nearly 200 years. From my childhood, I heard many things about the queen and always understood what a queen could be with all the best qualities and best abilities. That was our Queen Elizabeth the Second.
Queen Elizabeth the Second led a remarkable life, one marked by history. Amid tremendous change, she was a figure of stability, providing a constant symbol to many.
I would like to say one memory in this time when my mum did a short visit to the UK in 2006. Following day, she wanted to see the queen and she wanted to visit queen house. I said, mum that’s not possible but I can take you to the Buckingham palace but seeing queen is not possible. We went to Buckingham palace. I managed to take a picture with the queen in Madam Tussauds only. Till today my mum says, “I have the picture with British Queen”.
Queen Elizabeth 2 had remarkable abilities and qualities in terms of public service. First of all, she had the ability to bring people together and unify our country. She taught the British people and British politicians about kindness.
It is indeed hard to contemplate life without her. For seven decades, she was there for us, and I think many of us thought she always would be.
She had the ability to generate affection, respect, and loyalty not only from people from this country but from countless millions of people from the commonwealth countries, and around the world. Her face was arguably the most recognised face on the planet, and she would be missed not only here but also in other parts of the world, including countries she was unable to visit during her long reign.
I have seen a BBC documentary about our queen called "Elizabeth, the unseen queen". In this documentary, she said the following:
"We are all visitors to this time and this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love, and then we return home.”
While we and our constituents feel the most profound grief at her passing, her majesty, Elizabeth the Second, has returned home and is at peace.
God save the King!
In recent days when discussing the Queens death, lots of things have come up in my mind. How I will never sing God save the Queen again in my lifetime. What the new stamps and bank notes will look like, or when new passports and signs say his Majesty, rather than her Majesty’s.
I also have been reflecting on how in my culture, we remember those who have departed.
The most noticeable difference is that in my culture, we wear white when we mourn the loss of an elderly person, and our funerals would be referred to as a celebration of life.
People come together to comfort each other, to remember the joy and happiness the deceased brought, and to give thanks for their life. We are sad that they’ve left us, but happy for the time we had with them.
In the news coverage, we’ve seen highlights of the Queens life, and how much we have to be grateful for. She was a mother, grandmother, great grandmother; she was a leader, a national constant through the good and bad times, and above all else, she was the perfect example of an exemplary life of public service.
My hope and prayer is that her soul rests in perfect peace, that her family may find comfort in the memories they have of her, and the knowledge that the country, the commonwealth and indeed the world, grieve with them.
I also pray that, his majesty, our King Charles III, enjoys good health, and may remain our good king and head of state, a long time to come. Long live the King.
Cllr Lee Chamberlain
I'm speaking tonight because I want to add my tribute to a Queen who's passing ends the second Elizabethan era. Seventy years ago, the Queen made a promise of duty and service a promise that she kept and upheld throughout her life.
A belief in duty her majesty clearly passed down to her son the king and grandson Prince of Wales. I was fortunate to be serving as a Counsellor where her Majesty and Prince Philip visited here in 2003. Throughout the visit, I witnessed that they were gracious, good humoured, interested, and happy.
It's my experience that people have met Her Majesty have had that same experience. It's a memory they treasure as I do now. The Queen was an exemplary example for all of us in public life, how to carry ourselves with dignity, how to live lives of honour and dignity. In all these things, Her Majesty was an inspiration certainly when I came to serve as Mayor in 2008, it was to the example of the Queen that I looked at as to how someone in public life should deport themselves, particularly as the focus of attention.
I can add my voice to thanks expressed and my heartfelt sympathy to all members of the Royal Family. I don't know of anyone who was not moved on seeing the faces of a Royal Family having to deal with grief in the full spotlight in public view.
I think we can say that they did her Majesty proud in a dignified ceremony which allowed the nation to mourn together. So, it is fitting that we are here today to pay tribute to her Majesty in recognising the contribution made by all the Royals.
It is with sadness that we can no longer say God Save the Queen, but I'm sure with her majesty's blessing we can say God save the king. Thank you your worship.
Cllr Chinelo Anyanwu
So today, one of the things that I really want to highlight, especially because we know in the media how much this great loss has affected everyone, but also how it affects our young people. Even today we've had from fellow Councillors how it affected their children, and there is definitely nothing different in our household. It really sparked a whole host of questions that actually also sparked my daughter wanting to read everything about this wonderful Monarchy and about our wonderful Queen. That's every book, every programme, every magazine at all hours.
But what I'm grateful for is the fact that I was able to support her and the way that she dealt with her grief was to write a prayer, which I'll read today.
Dear God, thank you, God, for our gracious Queen. Thank you for the nicest ever, Queen. Please give our new King wisdom, Amen. That’s from my daughter aged 6, I’m very proud of her, and I promised her I’d read it.
So, to us as Councillors, I just want to draw upon as we’re in our communities and when we're in schools, just to continue to support our young people through this time, and would like to also say, rest in peace.
God save the King.
Cllr David Skelton
I think we knew to expect bad news over the course of the awful afternoon two Thursday's ago, but nothing quite prepared us for that terrible moment of shock and sadness when the news was announced and that's a feeling of sadness that we've we have all experienced many times over the past few weeks in the stillness at the end of that remarkable queue in Westminster Hall, and also so many times over the extraordinary service and procession on Monday.
In the days after her majesty's death, I spent days, like we all did, looking at the coverage, looking at the old historical photographs that were broadcast, and several of those rather stuck in my head. The first of those was about two titans of British politics Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee standing at the foot of the Royal plane as the Queen returned following the death of her father, the King, and the second was her Majesty engaged in conversation with General Charles de Gaulle, and these were both the reminder that she isn't just a link to those titans who preserved our freedom, but she was one of those Titans herself. This linked to our history is of course symbolic of the importance of the role of the Monarchy.
I always think back to the words of Edmund Burke, about the importance of that thread between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are yet to be born, and for me, the link between the history was so important. And I think, like many of us, I've also spent part of the past few days thinking back to my grandparents. My granddad was a Durham coal miner, he and my grandmother were very positive socialists, but also very devout Monarchists and I always remember going to my grandparents’ house and being overwhelmed by tea and toast, a tea cakes but also by the images of Her Majesty on most tea towels and plates, and everywhere and they always said she gives us something to be proud of she represents our history. She gives us something that will hold us together and holds us together.
And I think we know that we might have occasional disagreements in this Chamber. And dare I say we will have disagreements within our parties, but we should think about what unites us and what brings us together. I think what we've seen is the unity that her Majesty provided, and Monarchy provided, and we also saw in their celebrations only a few weeks ago, over the course of the Jubilee that pull this all together celebrate seventy years of duty and service.
And, of course, we saw that across the world in the days following the sad news. The outpouring of grief and emotion we have seen following the death of her Majesty should surprise nobody, her dedication to duty service, country and Commonwealth were absolute and unstinting. We've lost a wonderful leader, a great source of stability, a diplomat. I don't think there should go unsaid a genuine global authority on horse racing and bloodstock revered around the world for that.
And I'm proud to have lived through the second Elizabethan age and also have great faith in King Charles may she rest in peace. God save the King.
Cllr Alev Cazimoglu
Queen Elizabeth was affectionately referred to as Queenie in my house, despite not being born British and from a family who arrived here as immigrants, like many of our residents the Queen is very much loved and respected by my family.
When my parents gained their British citizenship, it was the Queen to who they swore allegiance. They probably couldn't even tell you who the Prime Minister was at the time. Indeed, learning about the Queen is one of my earliest childhood memories that school, as I tried to fit into a new country and culture, I loved the idea of the Queen. She provided a sense of continuity and stability in our lives, which we will all miss. How daunting it must have been for her to become Queen at the age of 25, at a time when a woman's role in society was still very much to be seen and not heard. To operate as Head of State in such a male dominated world must have been daunting but she never let the side down.
We thank her for her lifetime of service. May she rest in peace, and long live the King.
Cllr Tom O’Halloran
I was unfortunate in never having the opportunity to meet her Majesty, I only once caught a passing glimpse of her in 1993 when she visited the North London hospice, which was next to my secondary school in North Finchley.
When I learned of her death, I was at my desk at work, and I was surprised by my reaction to the news. I was choked, glazed eyed, shaken.
A woman who’d been a constant source of stability and continuity in all of our lives was gone. The second Elizabethan era had drawn to a close. I was one of the many thousands who went down to the Thames to queue to see her late Majesty lying in states. I went down on Thursday, late afternoon and I queued for eight hours, I know there are others in this Chamber queued for longer. And as I shuffled up the river from Southwark, it gave me ample time to ponder on what I saw around me. Why were so many thousands coming into London to stand and move forward yards at a time, hours on end, usually in silence and for many in the cold? The answer to me was clear duty. Those many thousands, myself included, felt an acute sense of duty to stand in this line and pay our respects and give thanks to a lady who gave us all so much for so long. She epitomised the very essence of duty and stands as an example to all of us who hold public office. This lady at the tender age of twenty-five dedicated her life to the service of this nation and its people and for seventy glorious years she delivered on that promise. She was, as the prime minister said, the rock on which modern Britain was built.
May she rest in peace. God save the King.
Cllr Gina Needs
I want to start off by offering my sincerest condolences to the King and all of the Royal Family, for their massive loss, we lost our Queen, but they lost their mum, their grandmother and great grandmother. She dedicated over seventy years of service not only to the UK, but the Commonwealth also.
Seeing all of the people queuing up to pay their respects as she lay-in state, just goes to show just how much people thought of her.
I've never met the Queen. Although having listened to colleagues, Councillor Anolue reminded me of the first time I met her was the first ever event I done with Enfield it was in 2012 it was the Diamond Jubilee. Where we lit beacons and let me tell you the turnout was absolutely massive and Albany Park, Luckily, she missed meeting me.
I just I hope she's finally at peace reunited with her Phillip.
Thank you, ma’am, for all the years you gave for your nation.
Long live King.
Cllr Joanne Laban
The ten days of national mourning showed the difference between politics and the monarchy. The Sovereign unites our nation, politics, just as it normally does in this chamber, divides. Her Majesty the Queen unified the nation, bringing people together throughout her reign. In 1953, my grandparents saved up their first television set to see the coronation, everyone came around the house in Edmonton not just family, but neighbours too. They came to see their new Queen crowned. Little did my grandparents know that their granddaughter would be on television talking about queueing to see Her Majesty the Queen lying in state. I can attest to the fact that the queue for the Queen united people, the queue was diverse, with people coming from all backgrounds, religions, and heritage. My queue buddies, including Councillor Fox, wanted to say thank you for the Queen seventy years of duty and service.
On the day of the funeral, the Queen united not just the country and the Commonwealth but the world. She even united public sector agencies, which is an achievement in itself, the police, government departments, City Hall, local government, voluntary organisations, and outstanding Armed Forces worked together to deliver a spectacular funeral for a spectacular woman. The funeral showed the world the best of Britain.
In death, Her Majesty the Queen's lifework has come to fruition because she has secured the union, in my opinion for years to come. The people behind her son and Britain's place in the world. She has now passed the baton on to her son, just as our system dictates who's also what she wanted. A man who's put duty for taking the time to grieve the loss of his mother and uniting people in the process. Sharing the values of the Queen have certainly been passed on to her son.
The biggest thank you to Her Majesty the Queen is to support our new King. Long live the King.
Cllr Maria Alexandrou
Queen Elizabeth captured our hearts and the hearts of the world in the kindest way because she connected with people from all walks of life.
On her 21st birthday, she pledged to devote her life in service and later said “although that vow was made in my salad days, when I was green in judgement, I do not regret nor retract one word of it”.
Her extraordinary duty of service was carried out with grace and dignity
She was a Queen, a wife, a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother – she was the young girl who fell in love with a prince.
She demonstrated Her best qualities as Head of State promoting democracy and peace on the world stage and never forgot that she served a higher King.
The Queen was a timeless symbol and embraced an ever-changing world.
Leaders have called her an icon of selfless dedication, a kind-hearted Queen. Her wisdom was also matched by her sense of humour - she was escorted by Daniel Craig, James Bond for the London 2012 Olympics and enjoyed a tea party with Paddington Bear to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
She loved chocolate dessert so much, a fruity version was served at her wedding.
The Queen spoke fluent French, was known to walk through the palace turning off the lights and saving Christmas wrapping paper.
As we express the incredible loss of our faithful Queen, let us reflect on Her exceptional duty and thank her for her dedication to public service. The Queen was simply remarkable, devoting her life to us all.
King Charles III referenced Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Prince of Denmark) when he paid a heartfelt tribute to his darling mama” as you begin your last great journey, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest”. God save The King.
Cllr Chris Joannides
I'm sure that I speak for everyone here in this Chamber, we're all deeply saddened about the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth the second, the second Elizabethan age has sadly ended. And although we are united in sorrow, we thank her Majesty for her unwavering sense of duty, a sense of good humour, which we have seen through her seventy-year reign.
Your Worship, our Sovereign dedicated her life to service for her country, which contributed to the people towards stability of the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Queen will be remembered for many wonderful things.
I briefly want to highlight the historic moment of an example of peace that she contributed with her faith. I would like to refer to the Lyric Theatre in Belfast in 2012, in which the Queen shook hands with the IRA commander on Martin McGuinness, we must not forget the assassination of the Queen's cousin, Lord Mountbatten in 1979, and as a symbol and gesture of the Queen's determination to pursue reconciliation in Northern Ireland, it was that handshake that made headlines around the world.
Your Worship, forgiveness takes strength, and Her Majesty was a source of strength to everyone. Your Worship, the Queen once told the Bishop of Plymouth and I quote, I have lived a long life and one regret is I would like to see Jesus when he will come back in my lifetime. When the Bishop of Plymouth asked why, Her Majesty reportedly replied, and I quote, ‘because I will place my crown at the Lord's feet.
The crown has now passed to His Majesty King Charles III, this exceptional and kind-hearted man is our new Monarch and Head of State, while we continue to mourn for loss of his mother. It is important to give our undivided support and loyalty and devotion to our new Sovereign. God save the King.
Cllr Emma Supple
It has been such an honour to listen to the tributes across this Chamber for the people of Enfield, and to enjoy the many personal stories from so many.
We all share such unique memories.
On the day she died I witnessed some 60 people queue up to swear their allegiance to Her Majesty as British Citizens, here in this Council Chamber. It was a very proud day indeed, and I was very proud to witness it.
She was a truly remarkable monarch, dearly loved and admired Worldwide. Wonderful tributes from across the Commonwealth.
She has been the presence of my life, and I did not know it, the roof, the pillar, the floor. The world’s most powerful, and yet the quietest power, the most outspoken people were willing to do almost anything to meet our Queen.
Hers is a story that can only ever come from Great Britain, which is why she always was the country’s greatest single ambassador. As we pay tribute for the Sovereign who has died, we promise allegiance to our new Sovereign who rightly succeeds her. We’ve all have been reminded how much of her presence and contribution to our national identity we took for granted.
I too joined the queues, I too joined the pilgrimage, and I was very proud to take part in it.
I too am a very proud Girl Guide, and a Queens Scout, and I wear my Queens Scout badge with pride, and as Girl Guide Leaders we look forward to making our promise now to Our King, but we will continue to make the Queens pancakes, which is a glorious recipe written in the Queens own handwriting, to President Eisenhower and I highly recommend them.
And as my Queens Guide award states - Godspeed your majesty, may the choirs of angels come to greet her, may perpetual light shine upon her, may she rest in peace.
God Save The King
Cllr Edward Smith
We have heard many moving tributes to her late Majesty the Queen this evening. I of course would like to echo these sentiments, but I don’t want to repeat what we have already heard.
I would mention a perhaps unremarked attribute that to my mind is one of the main reasons why the late Queen was able to maintain the affection and gratitude of her subjects over a 70-year period of unprecedented change in this Country.
She was, perhaps surprisingly given her background, very adaptable. As the conventions, customs and values of the Country changed, she changed also although always at a few discrete paces behind. To take just two examples, her accent from when she ascended the throne changed from frankly somewhat constricted upper crust vowels to, in the last years of her life, to the kind of language and accent used by ordinary people.
Another example of her adaptability was her embrace and promotion of the wider commonwealth and its peoples. This was completely genuine and helped to reflect wider changes in British Society as many people from the former colonies moved to live in the UK.
I have no doubt that King Charles and Prince William will follow in her footsteps, and that the monarchy will continue not merely to survive but to flourish in future decades. We wish Charles III health, happiness, and success as our new King.
Cllr Andy Milne
I too speak as a Queens Scout, and I have two very fond memories of her Majesty.
I was lucky enough to be at the St Georges Day Parade at Windsor Castle in 1982 and her majesty was the Senior Royal inspecting the Queen Scouts it was a very exciting day for the scouts, and when her Majesty came along, she stopped every so often to speak to one of us. She very nearly stopped in front of me but stopped in front and spoke to the scout next to me, but to witness first-hand how she could engage in a ninety second conversation and was genuinely interested in my colleague’s background, where he was from and what he’d achieved and how he'd achieved his award. I was excited, but I could tell from when she moved on to the next Scout that he was absolutely brimming with pride. What was also poignant about that year in 198, the first part of the task force to the Falklands had already sailed. And Her Majesty had known there were a number of troops at the event, a number of them younger than I was on that day. They were there to teach us how to march, which was very frustrating for them and vaguely humorous for us. They were there for ceremonial purposes, but a good proportion of them, as I said, many of them younger than they were asked to serve on the task force a few days later.
My other experience for ceremonial duty was also 1982 was at the Cenotaph. The Falklands conflict had just finished, and it was the first Cenotaph remote memorial service that happened after the most recent conflict and gave a sort of gravitas to the occasion and left a very sort of strong mark on me. But going back to Windsor Castle, what was incredible about her majesty was she was able to address the troops who were there for ceremonial purpose but were about to go to war. She was able to address the Scouts who are wildly excited because, but she was also able to address the parents who were far more aware of what was going on in regard to the up-and-coming conflict. And she was able to address each group of people with exactly the right amount of gravitas and or excitement depending on their perspective of the day. And that was really incredible.
What's also been quite interesting to me is that how she's transcended the generations. I've got teenage daughters, and I’m pleasantly surprised how upset they were, by the passing of Her Majesty. My elder daughter is a politics student and it's extremely poignant for her studying British politics at the moment. My other daughter, again at a local secondary school, was also upset and had friends around to help celebrate her life early but also, they had a discussion of what they felt about her Majesty, and it was really quite eye opening. Some of the things they were saying about the dedication or longevity, her kindness, the fact that everybody knew her, but nobody did. Which is amazing, especially in the digital age.
So, my tribute really is may she rest in peace, and long live the King.
Cllr Margaret Greer
With the agreement of the Mayor and Councillors, Cllr Margaret Greer sang a hymn in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II and to King Charles III.