crown

Daily newspapers filled their columns with royal updates and ‘tiny details,’ describing events on the Queen’s schedule. On 17 March on one of these occasions, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was greeted by more than 3,000 women who attended a reception for her in Brisbane’s City Hall, accompanied by Mrs. Gair, wife of the Queensland Premier, The Honourable V. C. Gair. Representatives from 18 women’s organisations were presented to the Queen and another 130 organisations carried flowers and bouquets as floral tributes to give to Her Majesty. These were later distributed among various hospitals in Brisbane. Source: State Library of Queensland; Blog

On 9 March 1954, Queen Elizabeth II made history by being the first-ever reigning monarch to set foot in Queensland. With her husband Prince Phillip in tow, the then 27-year-old monarch arrived in Brisbane with much fanfare and excitement. The royal itinerary included regional visits to Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, and surrounding destinations, and several days in Brisbane. The Queen and Prince Phillip stayed at Government House in inner-west Paddington with Queensland Governor Sir John Lavarack and his wife. Lady Lavarack went on to document the visit in a two-page recollection that outlined the Queen’s convivial and pleasing nature. Source: www.museumofbrisbane.com.au/mob-sunday-stories-the-queen-...

During her first royal tour of Queensland in March 1954, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was accompanied by her husband His Royal Highness Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh. HRH Queen Elizabeth II captured the hearts of the Queensland people. Following the austerity and impact of the Second World War (1939 – 1945) and the death of her father King George VI in 1952, our nation's fascination with the Royal family was significant. We greeted Queen Elizabeth II with open arms on her first official tour as the new monarch. Streetscapes identified as the official route for the motorcade were highly decorated and festooned with colorful flags and banners. In the 50s, many business houses displayed signage and billboards on exterior façades, welcoming the young Queen to our state. An overseas correspondent traveling with the Royal party observed… “The more I see of it the more I feel that Queen Elizabeth is satisfying some human urge across the face of the whole Western world... the mystique of her sovereignty acknowledged so emotionally is no doubt the basis of this appeal.” Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/hear-ye-hear-ye-its-1954-and-her-...