Our SPECIAL bond

THE MONARCH HAD A LONG LOVE AFFAIR WITH AUSTRALIA

LOVED BY US

On her 1963 visit, then-Prime Minister Robert Menzies famously quoted an old poem, “I did but see her passing by, and yet I love her till I die.” His words reflected the thoughts of many back then, and she remained beloved by Australia to the end.

Queen Elizabeth II stopped our nation when, as a 27-year-old, she sailed into Sydney Harbour on February 3, 1954. At the time, the city’s population was little more than 1.8 million, and an astonishing 1 million of those lined the waterfront, streets and rooftops to get a glimpse of the newly crowned monarch, while the rest of the country listened to ABC radio’s nationwide coverage. It was Australia’s first live televised event and it’s believed that 75 per cent of Aussies saw her in person during that tour.

With Prince Philip by her side, she toured 57 towns and cities on the 58-day visit. From Bondi Beach to Broken Hill, Hobart to Perth, and Dubbo in Central Western NSW, Elizabeth covered thousands of kilometres. This would be the first of 16 visits to Australia, a country close to her heart.