Thank you very much, Llywydd. On behalf of the Plaid Cymru group in the Welsh Parliament, I extend my sincere sympathy to Queen Elizabeth and her family in their bereavement. It's important to bear in mind, as has already been noted, in the midst of all the official mourning, that we are talking here about a wife who has lost her husband, with an incomprehensible void opening up after so many years together. In a year of so much loss, our silence today as a mark of respect and commemoration to the royal family in their grief is also a heart-rending symbol of loss, as we grieve with all those who have lost loved ones during this most difficult of years.

We are here not only to grieve, but also to thank Prince Philip for his lifetime's contribution. One of the Prince's greatest allegiances was to young people, as we've already heard. That contribution was great in the context of outdoor pursuits, a sector that's faced many challenges this year, of course, and a sector where there is a strong Welsh connection and roots stretching back almost as far the Prince's own lifespan. Prince Philip, as is well known, was a pupil at two of the schools of renowned German educator Kurt Hahn, first at the Schloss Salem school in Baden-Württemberg, and then, after the Nazis gained power, in Gordonstoun in Scotland. The core of Hahn's vision was the need to give every young person the opportunity to achieve their potential. 'There is more in you than you think' was the famous motto that he adopted. At the heart of his approach was learning through experience, rather than focusing on narrow academic approaches, through practical projects, or, better still, outdoor adventure, on land and sea, to build character and to embed the concept of leadership through the service of others. The vision had a strong influence on Prince Philip's outlook and his life.

In 1941, when Kurt Hahn went on to establish what is now recognised as the world’s first outdoor adventure centre, in Aberdovey, which subsequently became home to the worldwide Outward Bound organisation, Philip was one of its most ardent supporters. This, in turn, fuelled the inspiration for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, which gave far more young people the opportunity to fulfil their potential than would have been able to attend the schools established by Hahn—schools that were democratic in ethos, but elitist in nature, including, of course, Atlantic College here in Wales, which was the template for a global network of 200 schools. The Duke of Edinburgh, who attended the official opening of this Senedd and is now the subject of its final session, would appreciate the fact that the last piece of legislation passed in the fifth Senedd was one that gives prominence to Hahn’s educational progressiveness, which was crystallised over half a century ago in the international baccalaureate, in the new curriculum for Wales, with its emphasis on creativity, on collective learning and learning through experience.

We are all here to make a contribution, according to our abilities and values, and the ultimate contribution is to serve others. This was Hahn's fundamental message, taken by Prince Philip as his compass. It's a lesson worth contemplating by all, young or old, prince or ordinary person. It's not title or status or crown that is Prince Philip's most important legacy that we celebrate today, but the support that he provided to others. We thank him for his contribution. And we also give thanks for every contribution made by those of his generation, and those who are younger, who we have lost this year in Wales and beyond. May they all rest in peace.