James Purnell: statement on behalf of UAL on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II
- Written byJames Purnell
- Published date 08 September 2022
Today, we mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
It is a day of private loss for the Royal Family, and on behalf of UAL, I want to extend my condolences in their moment of grief - all our thoughts and prayers are with them.
It is a day of loss for our nation too. We have lost our longest-serving monarch; a living connection with the past who served us unselfishly with dignity and grace.
It is a day in which we are reminded of the values she embodied as a living symbol: self-sacrifice, responsibility, duty, decency, tolerance and kindness towards others.
The Queen served us for seventy years and, in that time, saw our society transformed. The values she embodied through those decades, however, remained the same.
For those of us in public service, these are the values we must always aspire towards: that there is no higher calling in life than to serve others.
The Right Honourable James Purnell