The Frome MP writes :

On Saturday, we saw the Duke of Edinburgh laid to rest. Although a funeral marks the end of life, Saturday's ceremony will not signal the end of Prince Philip's enduring legacy of public service – or the gratitude of the nation for decades of exemplary dedication to a variety of causes.

Walter Bagehot, the Victorian governmental theorist (and one-time resident of Langport, here in our constituency), suggested that the British constitution was split into two parts. The 'efficient' component – the cabinet, Parliament and civil service which keeps the wheels of legislation and management of government-provided services turning and the 'dignified' element, the monarchy, which places a veil of symbolism over the more utilitarian aspects of day-to-day administration.

And amid the sorrow and empathy we feel for the enormous personal loss suffered by the Queen and wider Royal Family, I was reminded, as I watched Saturday's COVID-compliant ceremony, of the symbolic function of the monarchy. As is true for many across our part of Somerset, the most immediate sensation I felt on hearing of Prince Philip's death was one of dislocation at the loss of a figure whose presence had always been taken for granted.

And that reflects one of the functions the Royal Family performs - to provide On Saturday, we saw the Duke of Edinburgh laid to rest. Although a funeral marks the end of life, Saturday's ceremony will not signal the end of Prince Philip's enduring legacy of public service – or the gratitude of the nation for decades of exemplary dedication to a variety of causes.

Walter Bagehot, the Victorian governmental theorist (and one-time resident of Langport, here in our constituency), suggested that the British constitution was split into two parts. The 'efficient' component – the cabinet, Parliament and civil service which keeps the wheels of legislation and management of government-provided services turning and the 'dignified' element, the monarchy, which places a veil of symbolism over the more utilitarian aspects of day-to-day administration.

And amid the sorrow and empathy we feel for the enormous personal loss suffered by the Queen and wider Royal Family, I was reminded, as I watched Saturday's COVID-compliant ceremony, of the symbolic function of the monarchy. As is true for many across our part of Somerset, the most immediate sensation I felt on hearing of Prince Philip's death was one of dislocation at the loss of a figure whose presence had always been taken for granted. And that reflects one of the functions the Royal Family performs - to provide a sense of continuity, giving us a sense that we are one small stitch of a historical tapestry that endures across generations.

Of course, Prince Philip's interests were wide-ranging and his dedication to public service unstinting. His causes ranged from conservation and bio-diversity (as a long-serving President of the UK and international World Wildlife Fund), through improving the lives of those suffering from deafness (serving as a patron of the Royal National Institute of Deaf People for over five decades) to founding the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme which has become so embedded in our education system, teaching skills of self-reliance and initiative.

But I know that for many, Prince Philip's funeral last week sparked thoughts beyond his personal qualities and legacy. It also gave room for us to reflect on the losses that have been suffered by so many across the last year or so; to consider the bonds that unite the country as we face up to the arduous task of rebuilding our economy and to take stock as we begin to enjoy the restoration of the freedoms we take for granted.

It's that principal purpose I believe the monarchy serves – to serve as an embodiment of the deeper bonds that unite us, regardless of political affiliation or ideological conviction. And though the Duke of Edinburgh was famously impatient with theorising at the expense of action, I would suggest that remembering that essential truth: that there is more that unites than divides us – would be a very real, even if inadvertent, legacy of which he would approve. , giving us a sense that we are one small stitch of a historical tapestry that endures across generations.

Of course, Prince Philip's interests were wide-ranging and his dedication to public service unstinting. His causes ranged from conservation and bio-diversity (as a long-serving President of the UK and international World Wildlife Fund), through improving the lives of those suffering from deafness (serving as a patron of the Royal National Institute of Deaf People for over five decades) to founding the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme which has become so embedded in our education system, teaching skills of self-reliance and initiative.

But I know that for many, Prince Philip's funeral last week sparked thoughts beyond his personal qualities and legacy. It also gave room for us to reflect on the losses that have been suffered by so many across the last year or so; to consider the bonds that unite the country as we face up to the arduous task of rebuilding our economy and to take stock as we begin to enjoy the restoration of the freedoms we take for granted.

It's that principal purpose I believe the monarchy serves – to serve as an embodiment of the deeper bonds that unite us, regardless of political affiliation or ideological conviction.

And though the Duke of Edinburgh was famously impatient with theorising at the expense of action, I would suggest that remembering that essential truth: that there is more that unites than divides us – would be a very real, even if inadvertent, legacy of which he would approve.