Tributes to Her Late Majesty the Queen

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 20 September 2022.

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Photo of Jeremy Balfour Jeremy Balfour Conservative

It is my honour to speak in this debate on behalf of my constituents in Lothian and myself. Her Majesty was no stranger to Edinburgh and her palace is our neighbour.

There have been many words spoken about Her late Majesty over the past days that show how much of an impact she had on the lives of the people of this nation. The profound sense of loss that has been felt around our islands, as well as further afield, has been intense, and I am sure that her life will be remembered by many generations to come.

There are many aspects of the late Queen’s life that I could pay tribute to. In the short time that I have, I will talk briefly about her faith. Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II was not forthcoming with her views and opinions on the political and cultural issues of the day. She was a professional, ensuring that, as head of state, she remained politically neutral. We knew nothing about her economic or social beliefs.

However, the one area of her life on which she chose to let the public in was her personal and abiding faith in Jesus, which was a constant theme in her Christmas addresses. It was the base on which her life was built and the measure against which she weighed all things. In her Christmas address in 2000, she said:

“To many of us our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.”

Queen Elizabeth II leaves behind a legacy of faith in Jesus. She exemplified the requirements, described in the book of Micah, of doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with her God. She was not perfect—none of us is—but she was an example of striving for godly virtue. I am certain that she has now swapped her earthly crown for another and has heard the words, “Welcome home, good and faithful servant.”

I pray that King Charles knows the same love and comfort of Jesus as his mother.

We thank God for the Queen. God save the King.