Prince Philip 'enjoyed chatting at the sawmill' - Norfolk MPs' tributes
Prince Philip attending a shooting competition at Sandringham. - Credit: Archant
Prince Philip's bravery and his interest in the village communities around Sandringham were remembered in speeches by two Norfolk MPs in parliament.
Scores of politicians paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh at a special session of the Commons on Monday.
North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker was among the first to deliver a speech which emphasised the positive impact the Duke of Edinburgh's Award has had since it was founded in 1956.
North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker. - Credit: Archant
Mr Baker, who himself took part in the awards, said: "The scheme embodied his spirit and his personality—a sense of adventure and bravery—but it is what it did for me and millions of young people around the world that is why it is so highly thought of.
"It instilled a sense of pride, camaraderie and confidence, equipping and empowering young people from all different backgrounds."
Mr Baker also drew parallels between Prince Philip and Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert.
He said: "They often say that history repeats itself. [Prince Albert], too, was a great reformer and adviser who cared deeply for people and fought for better lives for so many; he, too, passed at Windsor."
North West Norfolk MP James Wild's speech focused on Prince Philip's love of the Sandringham Estate, where - at Wood Farm - he spent much of his time after retiring from public life in 2017.
James Wild, North West Norfolk MP. - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2020
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Mr Wild said: "Villagers recall how approachable the Duke was, the keen interest he took in their lives and how he enjoyed chatting at the sawmill and other parts of the estate to find out the gossip and how things were going.
"Prince Philip, Her Majesty and the royal family are much-loved members of these communities. On Christmas day, Prince Philip would lead the royal family to church, striding ahead and talking to the crowds.
"He opened village and school halls and unveiled the plaque at Snettisham in memory of those who lost their lives in the 1953 floods."
Prince Philip, The Duke Of Edinburgh, died on Friday aged 99. - Credit: PA
Mr Wild said people in west Norfolk were "rightly proud" of the area's royal links.
He said: "That is why those communities feel that they have lost not only a remarkable national and international figure and their Queen’s husband but a much-loved one of their own."
