布莱尔为英国女王王太后去世致悼词

　　HerMajestyQueenElizabethTheQueenMotherdiedpeacefullyinhersleeponSaturday30thMarch2002,atRoyalLodge,Windsor.QueenElizabethwasamuch-lovedmemberoftheRoyalFamily.Herlife,spanningoveracentury,wasdevotedtotheserviceofhercountry,thefulfilmentofherRoyaldutiesandthesupportofherfamily.
　　MrSpeaker,IbeginbymovingandreadingtheHumbleAddress.
　　IbegtomovethatanHumbleAddressbepresentedtoHerMajestyexpressingthedeepsympathiesandcondolencesofthisHouseonthedeathofHerMajestyQueenElizabeth,TheQueenMother,whoselifewasgivenunstintinglyindevotedpublicservicetotheCountryandtheCommonwealth;whowithhislateMajestyKingGeorgeVIralliedthenationinthedarkestdaysofwarandwhointimesofpeacewasaunifyingfigureforBritain,inspiringloveandaffectioninallShemet.
　　OnFridayHercoffinwillbecarriedinaceremonialprocessiontoWestminsterHall,whereitwillLie-in-StateuntiltheeveningofMonday,8April.Membersofthepublicwillbeabletopaytheirrespectstherepriortothefuneral,whichwilltakeplaceat1130amonTuesday,9AprilinWestminsterAbbey.
　　Mr.Speaker,IknowthatthewholeHousewilljoinwithmeinpayingtributetoTheQueenMother,whoforalmostacenturywaspartofourlives,inspiredourcountry,arouseditsrespectandaffectionandforwhoseserviceandlifewegiveourprofoundthanks.
　　PartofthefascinationwithTheQueenMotherwasthesheerspanofhistorySheencompassed,notjustthegreateventsofthe20thcentury,itswars,theideologiesthatcameandwent,butitstechnologicalandscientificdiscoveries,itsvastlychangingculture.1801comparedto1701wasnodoubtverydifferent.But2001comparedto1901seemsanhistoricageapartandyetShesawitandexperienceditall.
　　ShewasbornduringtheBoerWar,inaneravirtuallyfreefromthemotorcar,atimewhen,Sheonceremembered,adairymanstilloftenstoodwithhiscowsellingmilknearthegatesofBuckinghamPalace.YetattheendofHerlife,thousandsofpeoplesente-mailsofcondolencetotheroyalwebsite.
　　TheTitanicsailedandsankwhenShewas11.WorldWarIbrokeoutonHerfourteenthbirthday.Herfirstchildwasbornin1926,theyearthattelevisionwasinvented.ShewasthelastEmpressofIndia.In1986ShebecametheoldestpersontobearthetitleofQueeninthehistoryoftheBritishmonarchy.AndinallShesaw20differentPrimeMinisterspassthroughDowningStreet.OneofmybestmemoriesofHerissittingwithHeratBalmoral,asShetoldmeofHerpersonalrecollectionsnotjustofChurchillandAttlee,butofAsquith,LloydGeorgeandBaldwin.
　　Undoubtedlythislongperspectivebroughtstabilitytothemonarchyandtothecountry.ButtherespectShereceived,theoutpouringofaffectionaccordedHerdeath,isnottheresultsimplyorevenprincipallyofHerlonglife.Shecouldhavelivedover100yearsandmadelittlemark.Thetributescouldhavebeenaritual.
　　Buttheyweren’t.Theyweregenuineandheartfeltandfromyoungandold,fromallclasses,allbackgrounds,allwalksoflife.AndthatwasbecauseofthepersonShewas,nottherankSheheld.ShecametoembodywhatwasbestaboutourpastandShemadeusmostoptimisticaboutourfuture.
　　SheneverexpectedtobecomeQueen-despitebeingtoldShewouldbe,byafortuneteller,asachild.ItwasonlyaftertheabdicationofEdwardVIIIthatHerhusbandbecameKingGeorgeVI.In1936,duringtheabdicationcrisis,ShewrotetotheArchbishopofCanterburythat\"Icanhardlybelievethatwehavebeencalledtothetremendoustask...thecuriousthingisthatwearenotafraid.\"