Sir Mark Hendrick MP has sent his condolences to the Royal Family on behalf of the people of Preston.

The MP for Preston spoke in the House of Commons to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.

Sir Mark said: “It is with great sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and send my condolences to the Royal Family on behalf of the people of Preston and myself.”

He continued: “She offered reassurance. She provided a sense of security and a feeling that because of the length of her reign, and the fact that she was around at the time of the Second World War, life would go on in this country and most people would get through whatever difficulties we faced. Continuity was her hallmark.”

Sir Mark said his fondest memories of the Queen came from her visit in 2002, when Preston was selected to receive city status.

Read more: A look back at Queen Elizabeth II’s visits to Preston

He described the Queen as “charming, polite, witty, kind, and interested in taking time to speak to people in the crowds.”

He said the Queen would be “an impossible act to follow” but that he was confident King Charles III would “step up” and “have his influence on whichever Prime Minister serves in the future.”

The speech can be viewed in full below or on Twitter.

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