On behalf of the people of Islwyn and the many Gwent valleys, towns and communities that I represent, I also want to say 'thank you' to our faithful servant, Queen Elizabeth II for her long, dignified reign over all her peoples. I've been struck by many tributes, but, as Jenny Rathbone has said, it was the French President, Emmanuel Macron, who stated, 

'To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was The Queen.'

A symbol of unity, and therein a symbol—a blessed symbol—of hope. 

Today as a representative of this place at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I have witnessed first hand on many occasions the very real appreciation and the deepest respect in which she is held. The Commonwealth nations and territories spanning the globe have been vocal—[Inaudible.] The outpouring of that grief has been global. Today, we live in a dangerous world and an ever-volatile world, which at this moment has lost a guiding, ever-constant star. For over 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II has led by example. She has demonstrated by her actions a public service of the very highest devotion. Our late Queen's passing has produced a deep and profound sense of loss, a collective sadness and a stillness rooted in her constancy to us all. She held her Christian faith with deep devotion and carried out the highest public duties in this land until the very, very final hours. And we feel such sadness because, quite simply, she was collectively loved. 

Llywydd, in this political arena, in this Chamber, there is often much fire and disagreement. That is the natural order of political debate and it cannot change, and nor should it. Queen Elizabeth II, however, delivered a stillness and calm that many have spoken of, a pure public service of a different scale, tone, timbre and, behind the smile and that twinkle that many have referenced, a deep wisdom. Our Queen was driven by a fierce sense of dedication, as many have referenced, to her vows to serve her subjects dutifully. She did so decade after decade until her passing. A woman—a strong woman—often in her younger years, as others have talked of, surrounded by men who felt they knew better. She was a woman in a man's world, setting an example to all. And from this man's world, in 1952, this woman, and then mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, walked with world leaders and spoke to and influenced world leaders for over seven decades. 

The Queen, as one of the world's greatest leaders, remains with us all. But yet, throughout the nations, she was often felt to be the very fabric of Britain, of itself Christmas, of the living room, and, for so many families up and down our United Kingdom, she touched the hearts and minds of all she interacted with. She did lead by example and we must all seek to follow that example. She was resilient and so we must be resilient, and cry—I feel the emotion in the room today. On occasion, many here have cried, even those who felt that they would or could not. But as sadness washes over, we see smooth succession of the Crown that she guided, and we go forward together as the United Kingdom, and we move forward now with pride. Queen Elizabeth, we have and will sing our gratitude to you. Diolch yn fawr, and we will reward your loyal service with the words you want to echo around this land, 'God save the King'.