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On Sep. 12, Singapore's Parliament observed a minute of silence as a mark of respect for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away aged 96 on Sep. 8, 2022, the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
She was also the head of the Commonwealth, which comprise 56 nations, including Singapore.
Parliament tribute
Leader of the House, PAP Member of Parliament Indranee Rajah paid tribute to the Queen in Parliament, which was attended by the British High Commissioner to Singapore, Kara Owen.
Image screenshot from Ministry of Communications and Information Singapore/YouTube.
She noted the late Queen's "unique" role in Singapore's history, specifically when it transited from a "crown colony to an independent state", and cited her congratulatory message, which was delivered during the inaugural session of the Singapore legislative assembly on Apr. 22, 1955.
The Queen was the "epitome of duty stability, wisdom, and grace" throughout her life, and "embodied duty and service before self in an unbroken thread" since she acceded the throne in 1952.
Over the course of her rule, the Queen exhibited a "personal touch" and exuded "warmth, sincerity and graciousness", all of which made her loved.
A personal story
Indranee shared a personal story, recalling how she met the Queen at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in 2022, and said she found her "charming, witty, and disarming with an intrinsic ability to put someone immediately at ease".
The Queen made three state visits to Singapore in 1972, 1989 and 2006.
She was gifted a gold and diamond Peranakan brooch during her diamond jubilee in 2012.
Buckingham Palace refers to the brooch as the Singapore shield brooch, and it was Singapore's second gift to the Queen.
Indranee said she has worn this brooch over 20 times, with the most recent being at the opening of the Elizabeth line for her Platinum Jubilee in May 2022.
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Top image screenshot from Ministry of Communications and Information Singapore/YouTube