Diolch to the staff at the Senedd for enabling today's recall motion to take place. It's difficult to find words worthy of marking this bleak occasion. Though we knew this day would come, no amount of preparation is enough. To encapsulate 70 years of dedication, respect and unwavering devotion to a kingdom and her people is an impossible task. Not born for the throne, she was the impossible Queen; now, for many, she is impossible to replace.

Since hearing the news on Thursday, I've thought long and hard about why so many of us, having not met Her Majesty, feel such a deep-rooted personal connection to her. Why is it that we feel she is part of the family and not just part of the furniture? What is it that builds and maintains our implicit trust in her?

In a life dedicated by propriety, anyone can be a royal, but it takes a certain character to be a Queen. On a voyage that set sail in 1952, with the mist of war still loosely hanging over the mountains of our island, the 25-year-old Queen Elizabeth had the weight of the world on her shoulders, with her coronation being the first to be broadcast live on television. There were, inevitably, choppy waters ahead, but the captain of our ship had devoted her whole life, no matter how long or short, to our service, from the plain-sailing first tour of the Commonwealth to bucking traditions on royal unchartered waters to China, and conducting a monarch's first ever walkabout when visiting Australia; through the storms of Aberfan, of war, of the Troubles and the terror, to the regattas of the London Olympics, the Jubilees and thousands upon thousands of royal visits, including up the river to Rhondda in 2002. During the serenity of family love, the raging of fire at Windsor, the shallow criticism and the depths of death and despair, with every change of the first mate, 15 Prime Ministers in total, and the rapid flow of power to our Parliaments, and when there was no lighthouse to guide us through the rocky waters of the pandemic, Her Majesty, steadfast at the helm throughout, through wave after wave of happiness and sadness, was a symbol of strength and unity and of hope, a symbol of courage, of peace and of humility, with a dose of wit and humour when needed, the one constant for generation after generation of us. This, to me, is why we feel that personal connection.

I am fortunate enough to hold dearly my own personal connection to Her Majesty. One of my proudest achievements is being awarded the British empire medal, recognising my contribution to communities in Rhondda. It's a real honour to have received this accolade under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. We'd be hard pressed to find a better example of leadership, a better example of inspiration to do the right thing, and a better example of modesty and honesty in the face of regret.

To a family who have lost a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, my heart, and the hearts of the residents in Rhondda, are with you during this time of mourning. For His Majesty the King, we look forward to welcoming you to Rhondda during your reign. To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, God speed to you on your final voyage. We will always hold you dear in Rhondda, and we will forever be grateful for your unrivalled years of service. Thank you. Diolch o galon. God save the King.