The nation has just come out of a state of mourning following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
This has been an incredibly sad time for our nation and the Commonwealth as we marked the end of her magnificent 70 years as our sovereign.
In that spirit, I made a tribute speech in the House of Commons in her honour and on behalf of the people of Hertford and Stortford.
I said The Queen was, both as a person and as a monarch, a link between our generations. That she was a tangible human link to our nation’s past - to its struggles, but most of all to its finest hour during World War Two.
At the end I said: “With the passing of our Queen, the end of a great historical epoch has indeed passed, but we are all privileged to have lived at least some of our lives in the great second Elizabethan age. We mourn her but we cherish her memory and her lifetime of service. God bless Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. God save the King.”
I know many people across Hertford and Stortford are very upset at this loss of someone who has been a constant in all our lives. So many know of no other monarch and this is unsettling. I share that loss as we collectively grieve her passing.
Of course, we now have a new monarch - King Charles III - and I had the honour of attending Westminster Hall for the King’s Address to MPs and peers.
These ancient rituals are certainly a comfort at this time and the dignity the new King showed and his vow to serve - just like his mother - was very moving, especially as he mourns.
Locally, there was a proclamation ceremony for the new King at County Hall in Hertford and I attended with other MPs from the county. I then signed the book of condolence. I will attend the lying in state of Her Majesty ahead of the funeral. It will be a very sad event and the last chance for the nation and Her Majesty’s family to say goodbye and thank you to a woman who always put her country first.
I have also been very moved by the outpouring of tributes and condolences from across the globe for Her Majesty and the Royal Family. She was someone who transcended borders, class and creed. She was quite simply an inspiration, not just throughout the Commonwealth, but in many other countries too.
The little things - a new image on stamps, coins and banknotes - will cement the huge change for us all in the weeks and months to come. However, we have a new King to support and I look forward to pledging my allegiance to him when Parliament returns.
The Carolean age has now begun.