News of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen has left the nation in a state of profound sadness and loss. The Queen was a constant presence in most of our lives. Her first Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, was born in 1874; her last Prime Minister, appointed only a few days ago, was born in 1975, 101 years later. That alone just exemplifies the length of time that she has devoted to the service of her people, both here and abroad.

The Queen was sustained by faith and driven by duty. Some of my fondest memories of Her Majesty were watching her each Christmas address the nation. My family's entire Christmas Day revolved around the Queen's speech. Her message was always one of hope; it was heartfelt, optimistic and inspirational. In often turbulent and worrying times, the Queen stood strong, providing confidence and reassurance that all would be well in the world. Regardless of her own personal circumstances, health issues and, more recently, the passing of Prince Philip, our Queen stood strong, nurturing and uplifting during times of hardship and struggle. Her speeches were elevating, refined and, above all else, relatable to all of us in one way or another.

As a young child I was asked often by family and friends, 'So, what do you want to be when you grow up?', to which a five-year-old Natasha Asghar used to confidently look them in the eye and say, 'I want to be the Queen.' Naturally, I realised fairly quickly that the role was not one that was open for applications. I adored the Queen for her hard work, her poise under all circumstances, and the love that she held for her country. As politicians here in the Welsh Parliament, we can only aspire to do what she did, for as long as she did, with the same level of grace, dignity, patience and kindness. Her sense of civic duty, community and charity were incredible, and her contribution to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth will provide a lasting legacy.

Our Prime Minister, Liz Truss, said in her tribute that the Queen was a tremendous inspiration to her, and I could not agree with her more. The Queen was a fantastic role model for countless women across the globe, from various backgrounds and ethnicities, admired and loved for her wisdom, dignity, grace and patience. It was an honour to meet Her Majesty when she came to Cardiff for the opening of the sixth Welsh Parliament. It was a moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and I know that many of my colleagues sitting here amongst us today, here in the Welsh Parliament, will too as well. On behalf of myself and all of the residents of south-east Wales, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, I would like to thank Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her lifetime of dedicated and devoted service.

I know only too well the pain that one experiences on losing a parent, and my thoughts and prayers are with the King, his brothers, his sister and the rest of the royal family at this very sad time. The Queen always told us to be strong through times of hardship, and today we all need to uphold the strength and courage she possessed to bear her loss. The highest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson,

'The purpose of life is...to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.'

That can certainly be said of Her Majesty. May she rest in peace. Her kindness was legendary, her smile was contagious and her memory will live on in our hearts forever.