It is of note, however, that the Welsh Government chose not to table either a statement or a debate on this important milestone in Her Majesty's reign. They did at the sixtieth, for the Diamond Jubilee. The then First Minister, Carwyn Jones, tabled a Government debate and that was very welcome indeed, but, unfortunately, no such thing has happened this time around, which is why we've used our opposition time, as the Welsh Conservatives—loyal opposition for Her Majesty here in this Parliament. 

Now, of course, during the 70 years that Her Majesty has been on the throne, most of that time she was supported by Prince Philip, her consort, the Duke of Edinburgh and, indeed, the Earl of Merioneth, as we must also remind everybody whenever his name pops up in conversation. He, of course, was her 'strength and stay', and his death last year was a great loss not only to Her Majesty the Queen, but also to the nation as a whole.

Over the past seven decades, the Queen has dedicated herself to selfless service to Wales, the UK and the whole of the Commonwealth. She has worked with 14 Prime Ministers—it's pretty remarkable, isn't it—and, of course, four Welsh First Ministers. But she has always risen above the political fray; she's been a steadfast anchor for the nation in times of crisis and in times of trouble, including during this awful period that we've all had to endure with the recent coronavirus pandemic.

Her Majesty is Britain's greatest diplomat and ambassador, representing Welsh and British interests overseas on hundreds of visits and receiving presidents, prime ministers and heads of state from other nations here in the UK. It's very difficult, I think, to underestimate the importance of these visits in fostering international relationships, in helping to overcome divisions and in cementing the strong relationships that Britain enjoys with our allies.

It's no wonder, therefore, that Her Majesty the Queen is greatly admired, not just here in Wales, where the popularity of Her Majesty the Queen is higher than in other UK nations, but across the globe. That admiration has been demonstrated in many ways by people across the world, and I'm reminded of that admiration that people have for Her Majesty the Queen every time I speak to my precious mum, because, you know what, when my mother was born in Dublin in 1952, the year in which Her Majesty the Queen ascended to the throne, her mum and dad—my grandparents—decided to call her Elizabeth after Her Majesty the Queen.

So, the Platinum Jubilee provides an opportunity for all of us to be able to celebrate seven decades of Her Majesty's service to us here in Wales. Of course, to mark the Platinum Jubilee, Her Majesty and the Prince of Wales have launched the Queen's Green Canopy initiative to invite people across the UK to plant a tree, because that will have, of course, a lasting and positive impact on the environment and help to address climate change. Yes, the Queen was planting trees and advocating planting trees a long time before Lee Waters ever did in this Chamber. [Laughter.] She should be on every advert for the tree-planting campaign of this Welsh Government.

And not only that, but special Platinum Jubilee medals will also be awarded to front-line police officers, firefighters, emergency services personnel, prison officers and our precious armed forces—a symbol of gratitude on behalf of the nation for the work that they do. Then there'll be the bank holiday weekend—an extended bank holiday weekend—in June, the focal point for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. There'll be a garden party at my house, if you want to come along.

Wales holds a very special place in Her Majesty's heart, not just because of her affection—her great affection—for Pembrokeshire corgis, but because she literally carries a piece of Wales everywhere she goes in the form of a Welsh gold wedding ring. Her dedication to Wales has been shown in so many other ways. She's had frequent visits here over the years. Her support and patronage of Welsh organisations, events, charitable organisations, including Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the Friends of Llandaff Cathedral, the Football Association of Wales, the Welsh Rugby Union, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society—I could go on and on and on and on. But, of course, for us as Members of this Senedd, we should also remind ourselves today of Her Majesty's unwavering support for this institution—the Senedd. She has attended every single opening of the Senedd and National Assembly for Wales, as it was previously known, including of course her recent attendance just a few months ago, at our official opening.

There are two interests in particular that the Queen and I share. The first is a steadfast support for our armed forces and veterans. Her Majesty, along with other members of the royal family, has a long and deep association with the military, including the military here in Wales. She holds the position of Colonel-in-Chief for both the Royal Welsh and the Welsh Guards.

And the second thing that I have in common with Her Majesty the Queen is a strong Christian faith. Those of you who watch virtual Senedd proceedings will have seen that in my office there are two photographs of Her Majesty the Queen. They are there as a reminder to me, and anybody who visits my office, of the example of public service, which is exemplary, that the Queen has set for me and every Member of the Senedd and every other elected representative. It's an example that all of us should aspire to. One of the photographs shows Her Majesty the Queen at one of the official openings of the Senedd—the one that I was first able to attend as a Member of the Senedd, back in 2007—and the other shows Her Majesty following one of the Queen's Christmas Day broadcasts. This one, for me, is particularly important because it emphasises Her Majesty's role as defender of the faith—a title that she has certainly, in my opinion, lived up to, because there is no doubt that Her Majesty's strong Christian faith has been central to her life, and we see many glimpses of this in her Christmas broadcasts. In 2000, the Queen said this:

'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.'

Throughout her long reign, it has been underpinned by a deeply rooted, personal Christian faith. In 2011, she said this in her Christmas broadcast:

'Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves—from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person—neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are)—but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.'

Amazing words. The Queen has also been at the forefront of promoting dialogue and understanding between different faiths throughout her reign. In 2014, in her Christmas broadcast, she said this:

'the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role-model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ's example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.'

The Queen is an amazing example. She has robustly defended her Christian faith while promoting tolerance and understanding of others, and she lives by the moral code that she preaches. So, in closing, I want to say this. For her 70 years on the throne, for her service to Wales, the UK and the Commonwealth, and for her role as defender of the faith, I say this: God save the Queen, long live the Queen, and congratulations, Your Majesty.