Former British Prime MinisterTheresa Mayis rememberingQueen Elizabeth II.
In a speech at the House of Commons on Friday, May, 65, delivered a funny and touching tribute to the late monarch, whodied on Thursday at Balmoral Castle. She was 96.
“Yesterday was a day we all knew would come some time but in our hearts of hearts we hoped never would,” the Member of Parliament began. “But as we mourn a beloved monarch, we must always remember that she was a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother.”
She continued, sending “thoughts and prayers” to the newest reigning monarch,King Charles III, andthe entire royal family.
May went on to share a special moment she had with the Queen. “I remember one picnic at Balmoral which was taking place in one of the bothies on the estate,” she said, “the hampers came from the castle, and we all mucked in to put the food and drink out on the table.”
“I picked up some cheese, put it on a plate and was transferring it to the table,” she said, adding that a second later, the cheese fell onto the floor. “I had a split-second decision to make,” she added, as the House of Commons filled with laughter.
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She continued, “I looked at her. She looked at me. And she just smiled. And the cheese remained on the table.”
Theresa May and Queen Elizabeth.Dominic Lipinski-WPA Pool/Getty Images
Embracing the mixed emotions in the room as the House of Commons remembered fun moments with the long-reigning monarch, May added, “This is indeed a sad day, but it is also a celebration of a life well spent in the service of others. There have been many words of tribute and superlatives used, but these are not hype, these are entirely justified.”
“She was remarkable and I doubt we will ever see her like again,” May said at the end of her speech. “May she rest in peace and rise in glory.”
On Thursday, the United Kingdom’snewly appointed prime minister, 47-year-oldLiz Truss, made astatement of her ownat 10 Downing Street regarding the Queen’s death.
Truss, who wasappointed as Queen Elizabeth’s 15th and final monarchearlier this week, reflected on her legacy with the throne, to which she ascended shortly after World War II. Truss also acknowledged the Queen’s work with the Commonwealth, which expanded from seven countries to 56, spanning every continent, during the Queen’s reign.
“We are now a modern, thriving, dynamic nation. Through thick and thin,Queen ElizabethII provided us with the stability and the strength that we needed,” she said. “She was the very spirit of Great Britain — and that spirit will endure. She has been our longest-ever reigning monarch. It is an extraordinary achievement to have presided with such dignity and grace for 70 years.”
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She recalled the Queen’s determination “to carry out her duties” in her final days, including with Truss' ownappointment to officeat Balmoral Castle in Scotland, as well as her many visits to more than 100 countries and touching “the lives of millions around the world.”
“In the difficult days ahead, we will come together with our friends across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the world to celebrate her extraordinary lifetime of service,” she continued. “It is a day of great loss, butQueen ElizabethII leaves a great legacy. Today, the crown passes, as it has done for more than a thousand years,to our new monarch, our new head of state, His Majesty King Charles III.
source: people.com
