Australia Post releases Diamond Jubilee Coronation stamps

Australia Post is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation with the release of one domestic base-rate (60c) stamp and one international-rate ($2.60) stamp.

"Australia Post is delighted to recognise the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty's coronation with the release of this stamp issue," said Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Michael Zsolt. "We're pleased that this special stamp issue will be a great memento of this wonderful event for collectors and the public."

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on 2nd June 1953 over twelve months after her accession. The Queen rode from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the ornate Gold State Coach.

Prime Ministers and leading citizens of the Commonwealth countries, representatives of foreign states, hundreds of thousands of Britons and over 200,000 tourists from other countries arrived in London for the coronation. (Actually there were approximately three million spectators lining the procession and more than twenty million viewers around the world watched the coverage on television.)

During the coronation ceremony, Queen Elizabeth swore the coronation oath, undertaking to rule according to law, to exercise justice with mercy and to maintain the Church of England. She was then anointed, blessed and consecrated and crowned by the archbishop before trumpets sounded, the Abbey bells pealed, and guns at the Tower of London saluted.

The large-sized 60-cent stamp features the Gold State Coach which has been used for every coronation since that of King George IV in 1821. The photograph is by Tim Graham from Getty Images.

The $2.60 stamp features a photographic portrait of the newly-crowned monarch in 1953 and is a detail from a full formal portrait of the Queen and Prince Philip. The photograph was taken in Buckingham Palace by renowned photographer Cecil Beaton and is featured on the miniature sheet. The image comes from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A special pack is available which features an embellished sheetlet of 10 x 60c double-definitive stamps housed in an attractive folder.

Other associated products include a first day cover, stamp pack, maxicard set of two, sheetlet of five x $2.60 self-adhesive stamps and a stamp and medallion cover.

The stamps and associated products were designed by Jo Mure of the Australia Post Design Studio. Jo's previous stamp issues include the Royal Wedding (2011) and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (2012).

The Diamond Jubilee Coronation stamp issue is available from 9th April 2013 at participating Australia Post retail outlets, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps while stocks last.

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The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's 65th wedding anniversary

After the Diamond Jubilee, marking Her Majesty's 60 years of reign as Queen of Australia, The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh can celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary today, but the royal couple have no plans for a major celebration.

The wedding on 20th November 1947 was one of the first joyful events after the horrors of WW II.

The Queen and the Duke will spend a quiet day together before carrying on with their duties for the rest of the week, including a joint visit to Bristol on Thursday and official engagements for the Duke tomorrow and on Friday.

It is a landmark which no other British monarch has achieved, and one which may never be surpassed.

During a luncheon to celebrate their golden wedding in 1997, the Queen paid a rare but heartfelt tribute to her husband, who holds the record of being the longest-serving consort in British history. She said: “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments, but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I and his whole family, in this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know.”

2007: The Royal Family gathered for the Diamond Wedding anniversary.

It does not come as a surprise that the Blue Sapphire  Wedding anniversary of the Queen of Australia and the Duke of Edinburgh was widely ignored by Melbourne's newspapers. While Murdoch's Herald Sun published not a single hint on the anniversary of our Monarch, The Age published one line on page 16: "Britain's future queen, Princess Elizabeth marries Philip Mountbatten at London's Westminster Abbey." A couple of German daily newspapers published the news on the front page, as an example here the cover of the Rhein-Zeitung (Koblenz/Mainz). See also the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: Eiserne Hochzeit im britischen Königshaus.



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The Queen unveils a memorial to Bomber Command

Her Majesty the Queen thanks Australian Bomber Command veterans David Leicester and Norman Deady for their service at the Bomber Command Memorial dedication in London.

Second World War veterans from Britain, Australia, Canada and around the world braved sweltering conditions on 28th June 2012 to see the Queen unveil a memorial to tens of thousands of airmen who died in the conflict.

The Bomber Command Memorial in London's Green Park remembers the sacrifice and bravery of the RAF and Commonwealth crew who played a crucial part in winning the War and faced death on a daily basis.

Marshal of the Royal Air Force HRH The Prince of Wales shakes hands with Australian Bomber Command Veterans at the memorial dedication.

More than 5,000 veterans and veterans' relatives joined The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to remember the 55,573 RAF crew who lost their lives.

The Queen pulled a rope to unveil the centrepiece of the memorial, a 9ft bronze sculpture depicting a seven-man bomber crew returning from a mission.

The Last Post was sounded and there was also a flypast by five RAF GR4 Tornado bomber aircraft crewed by the RAF, and another by the RAF's last flying Lancaster Bomber, which dropped poppies over the park as a message of remembrance for those who died.

The Bomber Command Memorial has been criticized in Germany, where many see the devastating attacks as criminal. But there is growing acceptance of Britain's desire to honor its dead. And Germany has donated a £25,000 yew tree for the memorial site. The tree, which will take pride of place in a garden of remembrance next to the monument in Green Park, will be a symbol of reconciliation as well as recognising the sacrifice made by the 55,573 airmen who died to help free Europe, including Germany, from Nazi tyranny.

It was originally planted in Potsdam, near Berlin, to commemorate the meeting in 1945 between Stalin, Churchill and Truman at which Germany's future was decided.

Jim Dooley, chairman of the memorial committee, said when the move was announced two years ago: "This is a stunning gesture by the German people, and one for which we are hugely grateful."

Concerns in the city of Dresden have been assuaged by an inscription commemorating all lives lost during the raids. Heike Grossmann, spokeswoman for the mayor of Dresden, Helma Orosz, said: "We are close friends with people in Britain, we are twinned with Coventry, and at first we were surprised that the memorial was being constructed. Our mayor raised concerns when she happened to be at an exhibition in London and met London mayor Boris Johnson. The inscription is a further gesture of reconciliation between Britain and Germany."

Marshal of the Royal Air Force HRH The Prince of Wales looks at Australian Bomber Command Veteran Phillip Smith's historic photo at the memorial dedication.

Dudley Hannaford, 88, who came from Sydney, Australia for the service, told how he served as a wireless operator on Lancaster bombers flying out of RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

"I had 18 operations over Germany and I was shot down on the 18th," he said. "I joined up with the pilot and we tried to evade capture, which we did for 16 days, but we ran out of food and had to give ourselves up. It was quite near the end of the war anyway, and I was in a prisoner of war camp near Munich when I was released and repatriated."

He said today's occasion was "absolutely wonderful. It makes me think of release and victory. I only played a very small part in that, but it is something to be very thankful for."

Other veterans came from Canada and New Zealand.

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Why weren't you at Federation Square?

An eye witness report from Neville who gave permission for the re-print and who took the photos


The day got off to a laid back start. I had requested leave as soon as the date of the Queen's visit was announced, so I got to make the most of the big day. I went to a 6am cycle class, and the instructor, Nicholas, looked at me in surprise and said: “Why aren’t you at Federation Square?” Indeed, after the amazing turnout in Brisbane, I did consider getting an early tram into town. But when I have seen the Queen in the past, my general rule has been to get in place about three hours ahead of her arrival. So I had an hour or two up my sleeve and enjoyed some time back at home with my French Bulldog Bert, who, as I prepared to depart again, got all excited; no doubt he wanted to meet the Queen as well. His disappointment at being left behind was somewhat soothed by a nice big treat and we separated on good terms.

I got the train to Flinders Street Station, directly opposite Federation Square, arriving just after 9:00am. Already there were large numbers of people in place, and I started to scout out a good position along the red carpet. There were no spots left at the front of the barriers, so I looked for the next best thing: directly behind a short person. I was in luck and staked my claim behind a elderly lady, who also had some flowers. She was with her granddaughter, and although I never found out for sure where she was from, I did hear comments about living in Cambodia. Next to her was a tall, solid young man, also clutching flowers, who kept mentioning that he had arrived at 5:45 am (more of him later). There was a couple who came down from Bendigo last night and another family who got an early train from Ballarat.

I settled in for the long wait and enjoyed the atmosphere. Before too long a jazz band took to the stage to provide some light entertainment. They were pretty good, and even played a coupe of my favourites; “Fly me to the moon (in other words..)” and “The girl from Ipanema”. After about an hour the crowds had grown and the pressure from behind had caused a ripple on effect. I noticed that I was gradually being nudged from behind the Cambodian lady into the shadow of the tall young chap already mentioned. I was beginning to think that I had made a bad choice, but it was too late to move now. Then I noticed that there were two Constables standing behind us, taking an interest in the tall young man. A few minutes later the Constables were joined by a couple of Sergeants. Finally a Senior Sergeant appeared, pulling on his leather gloves, just like The Freak from “Prisoner” (or “Prisoner - Cell Block H” as some of you might know it).

This did not bode well for the future, so I began shoving back against the swell of the crowd to disassociate myself from the tall young man. Sure enough, Senior Sergeant reached into the crowd and tapped him on the shoulder and asked to have a word. The tall young man was not very impressed, and unfortunately, made his feelings known. A young lady next to me was so upset that she started crying (she had earlier asked him if she could squeeze in next to him, only to be scathingly told no). Obviously it is not a good idea to yell at police if you want to keep your prime position. He did not come back. His cousin, who had joined him after I arrived, asked another Constable what was going on. The Constable said: “You know what’s going on”, and then told the couple from Bendigo that it would be a good idea not to get involved. This little drama certainly helped pass the time, and after all the shuffling around I found myself back behind my Cambodian lady, with a great view of proceedings. (The tall young man's side of the story can be read here.)

As we got into the final hour of waiting, the sense of anticipation grew. Reports arrived that the Queen had arrived at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Word went around that she was wearing “shocking pink”. The plastic covering the red carpet was rolled back, and our nostrils were assaulted with the acrid smell of cheap new carpet warming in the morning sun. But it meant that the Queen was getting closer, so nobody minded. A couple of workmen made sure the carpet joins were smooth, and got cheer for their efforts. Then the Australian Federal Police arrived and started lining up all the children with flowers and gifts. There was one little girl who was the spitting image of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden at that age, right down to the same glasses, it was quite uncanny. Finally the band stopped and an announcement was made: "The Queen had arrived." A tremendous cheer went up, flags waved, and applause broke out. The big screen then burst into colour and we were able to watch proceedings. Yes, the rumour was right; pink. The crowd cheered again.


It was 12:43 and the Queen and Duke began their slow progress towards the Prince’s Bridge tram stop. There were regular calls of “three cheers for Her Majesty the Queen”, with everyone joining in with great enthusiasm. Finally, here she was right in front of me, less than a metre away. She was focussing on all the children and trying to juggle the massive amounts of flowers, flags, cards and gifts being held up to her. I last saw the Queen up close in 2006 at the Royal Exhibition Buildings, a few hours before she opened the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. No doubt about it, she has aged, and is starting to stoop a little. But when she looked up it was with the same bright eyes, and wonderful smile. The Duke was near by, keeping an eye on the Queen, as well as chatting to the crowd on the other side. He is a remarkable man. Lady Susan Hussey was head of the chain of helpers making sure the floral tributes kept on moving.




Then it was all over, and the Queen disappeared behind the cameras and officials who were bringing up the rear. But the big screen meant we could still enjoy what was happening. It was then that I turned around and noticed just how massive the crowd was. I have seen the Queen in Melbourne three times, twice in Sydney, and once in Adelaide. But nothing has come close to this massive turn out of people. I could see down to the tram stop, and across to Flinders Street Station and Prince’s Bridge. Every available vantage point was chock-a-block jam-packed with hundreds and hundreds of happy faces. The bells at St Paul’s Cathedral then started to peel, adding to the wonderful sense of occasion. I have never seen anything like it before. It was absolutely amazing.


I then headed up to Government House, picking up some welcome refreshments, and settled under a shady tree to wait for the Queen’s departure. It was a lot quieter, with a couple of hundred people enjoying the gardens, sitting on the lawns, or cooling off under the large spreading trees. A security guard announced that the Queen was running late and would not depart until 2:40. This was good news. I was beat, and could happily have spent the rest of the afternoon under the tree. Before long the Governor of Victoria departed for the airport to be in place for the formal goodbyes. I dragged myself out from under my tree and got ready for another glimpse of the Queen. I was in the same spot where I stood in 1985 for the arrival of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the first time I saw a members of the Royal Family. The Royal Range Rover soon came into sight and a cheer went up. Just over four hours after her arrival, the Queen departed.

I made my way home, tired and very badly sun-burnt. It was only about 20 degrees, but with hardly a cloud in the sky my poor old bald head got a roasting. I’ve just watched the news and one estimation is that nearly 100,000 people lined the streets today. Let’s see if Perth can top that!

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Melbourne gives the Queen and the Duke a royal welcome

This Wednesday Melbourne hosted Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness Prince Philip and gave them an enthusiastic welcome.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a ceremony marking the official opening of the new Royal Children's Hospital, unveiling a plaque and visiting children, family and staff.

They then travelled to Federation Square in Melbourne's CBD to take in an exhibition of Indigenous art at the Ian Potter Gallery.

The square was flooded with thousands of well-wishers, who jostled for the best viewing position. Thousands lined in the streets around Flinders Street Station with no chance of seeing the Royal couple but waited patiently and in very good spirits.


The Royal couple received the adoration of the crowd and spent twenty minutes at Federation Square walking a red carpet, talking to the people and accepting gifts of flowers and little toys. One boy had written a letter for Prince Charles since he attends the same school as Prince Charles did, Geelong Grammar.

The crowd burst out in singing Australia's Royal Anthem, God save the Queen!

The Royal couple also boarded a specially designed red and white tram, which travelled along St Kilda Road to Government House. The Queen's tram will be decorated for a year and will rotate on most routes.

Royal supporters lined the route, waving Australian and British flags.


Even The Age managed a reasonably courteous article, written by the republican journalist Michael Shmith: Long may Melbourne's royal reminders reign: "Doing away with monarchy's monuments would be madness - even for a republic."

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"It's almost a coming home for the Queen
she has a huge fondness for Australia"

After the outburst of joy and enthusiasm shown by the Australian people during the first six days of Her Majesty's tour, The Daily Telegraph denied the idea that the Queen of Australia and the Duke of Edinburgh might have been on a final trip to Australia.

While some reports have suggested that this, the Queen's 16th visit to Australia during her reign, could be her last, the Palace spokesman said the tour did not have the atmosphere of a final farewell.

"It's almost a coming home for the Queen she has a huge fondness for Australia, a lot of Australians have worked in her household," she said.

"There's no sense at all of 'Thank you and goodbye'."

On Tuesday, 26th October the Queen laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

After being greeted by hundreds of well-wishers who braved the chilly temperatures and persistent rain to catch a glimpse of the royal couple, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh walked to the memorial's impressive Hall of Memories for a ceremony to remember Australia's fallen soldiers.

There, the Queen placed a wreath of poppies on the tomb. As the sovereign laid the floral tribute on a stand a single paper poppy fell to the floor and she took a few steps back and bowed her head.

The Last Post was then sounded and the official party, including General Peter Cosgrove, the chairman of the Australian War Memorial and former head of the Armed Forces, observed a minute's silence.

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Reception for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

On Friday, 21st October 2011, at Government House, Canberra, Her Excellency the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC, as Patron, and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE, hosted a reception to launch the 50th Anniversary of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Australia, in the presence of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

According to The Canberra Times, "a modest and expansive Duke of Edinburgh spoke at length at a reception at Government House in Canberra for the youth awards scheme in his name, suggesting young people in many ways had not changed much since he helped to start the initiative in the mid 1950s."

The Duke of Edinburgh with Young World Fellow Michael Palmer.

He also presented a World Fellowship pin to Queensland mining magnate Clive Palmer and to his 21-year-old son Michael. Mr Palmer has donated $6 million over ten years to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, believed to be one of the largest single donations to a youth organisation in Australia.

The Duke of Edinburgh at Government House in Canberra.

Prince Philip said he did not like to bask in any reflected glory from having his name attached to the scheme which he helped to set up in England in the 1950s, initially to motivate boys to become involved in voluntary, self-development activities. It is now regarded as the world's leading achievement award for young people, with participants testing their mind, body and soul to get their bronze, silver and gold awards.

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"Your Majesty, you are one of us"

The Queen of Australia's speech at Parliament House in Canberra, 21st October 2011


Prime Minister, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Prince Philip and I are delighted to be back in Australia. I find it difficult to believe that it is already five years since our last visit. Ever since I first came here in 1954, I have watched Australia grow and develop at an extraordinary rate. This country has made dramatic progress economically, in social, scientific and industrial endeavours and, above all, in self-confidence.

The Great Hall lies at the heart of Australia’s enduring democratic institutions. It is easy enough to talk about democracy, but it must never be forgotten that it represents a compact between the Australian people to accept the wishes of the majority, while always remaining conscious, and sympathetic, to those whose voices are not always heard. It is this political freedom that leads to free expression, which encourages new development in areas as varied as the arts, sport and commercial enterprise. With this foundation, Australia has flourished and achieved excellence on the world stage. The award of the Nobel Prize in Physics to Professor Brian Schmidt earlier this month is but one example. And, in the face of a global financial crisis, Australia’s robust economic record, underpinned by the strength of its institutions, has been widely acknowledged.

In an unstable world, Australians consider themselves fortunate, however they continue to make a significant contribution to world peace-keeping. This does not come without a price, and we are all conscious of the sacrifices made by the Australian armed services in international operations. Their valour has been well recognised, in particular with the awarding of the Victoria Cross to two servicemen for outstanding bravery in Afghanistan. I also share the grief felt by those families, friends and colleagues of the 29 service personnel who have been killed during this conflict.

It has been a difficult year for this country in many ways, despite the successes.

The world witnessed the anguish of Australians as they lived through a summer of natural disasters. We saw towns battered by a cyclone; homes, businesses and families destroyed by devastating floods, and across the Tasman, in New Zealand, we saw a city utterly ruined by an earthquake. I know Australian rescue and medical teams did not hesitate to lend support to their neighbours in response to this horrific event. We were all impressed by the courage and resolution shown by those affected, in the face of crippling desolation. Prince William also saw first hand the fortitude of people during this testing time.

Next week we will be in Perth for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference. It will be an important occasion for governments to discuss the challenges they face and find new ways to bring about positive change.

I am sure they will draw strength and inspiration from their time here in this prosperous, energetic, and dynamic nation of Australia.

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Address of the Honourable Julia Gillard, Her Majesty's Australian Prime Minister, at the Reception in Honour of Her Majesty, The Queen and His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Canberra

On an autumn day in Cape Town 64 years ago, a remarkable address was given.

It was the speech of a young woman who knew a life of duty stretched before her.

A life she accepted with courage and with grace.

In that address, Princess Elizabeth pledged that her “whole life whether it be long or short” would be devoted to the service of the British people and the Commonwealth.

Your Majesty, You have kept that pledge with unbroken constancy of purpose.

And the life upon which you were venturing has turned out to be long, eventful and greatly productive.

So it is that we greet you on the sixteenth time you have honoured us with a visit to our shores.

Many heads of state and government are welcomed within these walls.

But in this home of Australian democracy, you are a vital constitutional part, not a guest.

Just as in this nation, you can only ever be welcomed as a beloved and respected friend.

Your Majesty is the longest-lived sovereign in British history.

And surely history’s most travelled head of state as well.

You are also the first and only reigning monarch to venture upon these shores.

Not merely to visit – but to share and understand the life of this nation.

You have witnessed our evolution from a small agricultural economy to an open, modern trading nation at home in this region and the world.

A vibrant multicultural democracy that has welcomed people from every corner of the globe.

A nation that honours its First Peoples and speaks the truth about its past.

A nation that more fully embraces the rights and aspirations of all its people, women and men alike.

And it is perhaps a sign of our progress that Your Majesty was welcomed at Canberra Airport by a female Governor-General, a female Prime Minister and a female Chief Minister.

These have been remarkable decades indeed.

My eminent predecessor once spoke of a lady passing by.

Far from passing by, you have endured.

You have endured with dignity and abiding strength of spirit.

As heir and monarch, you have walked fully two-thirds of Australia’s national journey with us.

Understanding with clarity and sympathy our growing maturity as a nation and as a people.

Visiting every corner of this Commonwealth.

And sharing great national moments like the opening of the Opera House, the Bicentenary and this very Parliament building.

Now you stand at the gate of a truly extraordinary year;

An anniversary experienced by only one other monarch in our long history: because in 14 weeks time, the people of Britain and the Commonwealth will mark your diamond jubilee.

We will celebrate that jubilee with sincere gratitude and joy.

We will honour a wise and gracious sovereign who has spent her life in the cause of duty.

And we will honour the consort who has stood so constantly

at your side, himself a true friend of this country in peace and war; an outstanding supporter of science, innovation, and the education and support of our young people; and man whose robust humour and commonsense have always resonated with the Australian character.

Your Majesty, we do not know where Australia’s path of nationhood may lead in the times to come.

We are, as you once so rightly said, “a country on the move and will go on being so”.

But we know this for a certainty: your journey of service will continue all the length of your days.

Keeping faith with the pledge made in Cape Town so many years ago.

And keeping faith with us, the people you have so long served.

And who give you, in return, our lasting affection and our very deep respect.


Address of the Honourable Tony Abbott, Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Australian Opposition at a Reception in Honour of Her Majesty, The Queen and His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Canberra

Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is indeed an honour to join the Prime Minister with her most eloquent welcome to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on their 16th visit to our country.

Your Majesty, while 11 Australian prime ministers and no less than 17 opposition leaders have come and gone, for 60 years you have been a presence in our national story and given the vagaries of public life, I’m confident that this will not be the final tally of the politicians that you have outlasted.

In fact, the Crown is probably the oldest continuing institution in Western civilisation, after the papacy. The Crown which we inherited in 1788 has evolved as our country has grown. Once, the Crown in Australia was personified by an Englishman representing the British government. Today, the Governor-General is always a distinguished Australian who is a representative of the people above and beyond politics.

The Crown has been a symbol of stability and continuity because it has adapted to the changing times. Australians have rejected some change because they feared that it might not be real progress; but we would welcome other change, such as the proposal to end discrimination against women in the line of succession and to allow marriage to Catholics, because it is a sign that ancient institutions need not be anachronisms.

The monarchy is an expression of Burke’s lovely concept of institutions as compacts between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are yet to be born. Previous generations, after all, weren’t wrong about everything. This generation doesn’t have a monopoly on wisdom and insight. We should keep the faith with our forbears just as our descendants should keep faith with us and just as you pledged, your Majesty, on ascending the throne.

Your own life has been an exemplar of the ideals of duty and service that make societies strong and civilisations last. When you observed, after the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York, that “grief is the price we pay for love”, you spoke not for England and not for Australia but for the world.

Although the office is bigger than any individual, the monarchy can indeed wax or wane on the character of incumbents.

To your Royal Highness, Prince Philip, may I say that you have brought humanity and irreverence to what might otherwise be a stuffy institution. When introduced to Cate Blanchett as someone who works in movies, you asked her whether she could help to fix the palace DVD. Only locals are allowed to joke about our Cate so that makes you at least an honorary Australian.

When I read, your Majesty, that this was expected to be your last Australian tour, I was reminded of an interview that Archbishop Mannix did on the occasion of his 96th birthday. At its close, the youthful reporter said that he hoped to do the same interview again next year. “I don’t see why not” said the prelate, “you look healthy enough to me”.

At the close of his best volume of memoirs, Clive James wrote: “as I type this last paragraph, it’s raining in the city of London. Below me in the street, the umbrellas are commiserating with one another. But twelve thousand miles away and ten hours from now, the yachts will be racing on Sydney Harbour under a sky of powdered sapphire on a sea of crushed diamond. The birthplace of the fortunate sends out its invisible waves of recollection. It always does and it always will until the last of us come home”.

Your Majesty, you have taken such obvious pleasure in your visits to this country and that pleasure is amply reciprocated by the Australian people amongst whom you will always be welcome. It is not necessary to live permanently in Australia well and truly to belong here. You are one of us.

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The Admiral's Barge for the Queen



On their first full day in Canberra Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip climbed aboard the Admiral's Barge, the most prestigious vessel in the Royal Australian Navy's fleet, for a 35-minute tour of Lake Burley Griffin, where thousands of cheering onlookers had lined the shore in the sunshine to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

The Royal Barge arriving at Regatta Point with Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.

The Admiral's Barge brought the Queen and the Duke to the annual Floriade flower festival, which had closed its doors four days ago, but reopened for the Queen of Australia and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Members from VIP Boat Squadron of the Royal Australian Navy salute Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh as they disembark the Royal Barge on their way to visit Floriade.

Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh walk along the jetty at Regatta Point on their way to Floriade.

The southern hemisphere's biggest flower show, which boasts more than one million blooms, closed to the public on Sunday, but the unfortunate timing could not stand in the way of a royal visit.

Her Majesty The Queen receives a bouquet of flowers from Canberra school children on her way to Floriade.

In order to ensure that the beds were still blooming by the time the Queen arrived today, organisers dispatched a team of 17 gardeners to frantically prune, water and weed out any flowers that had seen better days.

Her Majesty's ship crew: 20111020 Leading Seaman Marine Technician Mathew Guy, the technical sailor onboard the Royal Barge, Leading Seaman Boatswains Mate Dave Herra, member of the gangway party.

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The Monarch has landed

Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, have touched down at Fairbairn air force base in Australia's capital city Canberra shortly after 6 pm for the start of a busy 11-day.

As they disembarked into the warm early evening sunshine, a 21-gun salute was sounded and the military band of Australia's Federation Guard military played Australia's Royal Anthem, God Save the Queen.

School children welcomed their Queen with numerous flower bouquets.

The media has been commenting that, at formal occasions, the British National Anthem has been played. This is manifestly incorrect. ‘God Save the Queen’ is officially the Australian Royal Anthem. Many also refer to Her Majesty as the ‘British’ Queen. She is, by the Royal Style and Titles Act 1974 of the Australian parliament, the Queen of Australia and should be referred to as such.

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The media are getting ready for the Queen's arrival


ABC (7.30)



Film Australia Collection

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Itinerary of the Queen of Australia's 16th Tour

CANBERRA:
Wednesday 19th October
PM - The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh arrive in Canberra and will be given a Ceremonial Welcome at the Airport.

Thursday 20th October
AM - The Queen will give an Audience for the Governor General.
PM - Will visit the Floriade flower show.

Friday 21st October
AM - The Queen will give an Audience for her Australian Prime Minister and an Audience for the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition.
PM - Will attend a Reception hosted by the Prime Minister at Parliament House

The Duke of Edinburgh:
PM - The Duke of Edinburgh will attend a Duke of Edinburgh Award Reception.

Saturday 22nd October
AM - Presentation of Colours to the Royal Military College, Duntroon.

The Duke of Edinburgh
PM - Will attend a Commonwealth Study Conference reception.

Sunday 23rd October
AM - Will attend Morning Worship at St. John’s Church.
PM - Will attend a Reception and Lunch hosted by the Governor-General.

BRISBANE AWAY DAY
Monday 24th October
AM - Board a river craft, and travel up the Brisbane River to Southbank and after visit the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
PM - Attend a Reception for emergency response personnel and Communities affected by recent floods.
PM - Will attend a post flood Rededication Ceremony of Rainforest and opening of Rain Bank.
PM - Will attend a Lunch with Governor of Queensland and other guests.

CANBERRA
Tuesday 25th October
AM - Will visit the Australian War Memorial and view the Afghanistan Memorial. The Queen will lay a wreath.
Later, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will meet Australian Defence Force Personnel at Orientation Hall.

MELBOURNE AWAY DAY
Wednesday 26th October
AM - Opening of the Royal Children’s Hospital.
PM - Visit to the Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria.
PM - Walk through Federation Square and take a journey on board a Melbourne Tram.
PM - Will attend a Reception hosted by the Governor of Victoria at Government House.
PM - The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will depart Melbourne
for Perth.

PERTH
Thursday 27th October
AM - Visit to Clontarf Aboriginal College and see sporting facilities.
PM - Will attend a Garden Party at Government House.

Friday 28th October
AM - Will attend the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Lunch for new Heads of Government at Government House.
Evening - Will attend a banquet at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

Saturday 29th October
AM - Will visit the Perth community ‘BBQ’ event - “The Big Aussie BBQ”.
Lunchtime - The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will depart Australia.

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Dates announced for The Queen's stay in Australia

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS ISSUED BY THE PRESS SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN

As previously announced, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will visit Australia this Autumn.

Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will arrive in Canberra on Wednesday, 19th October before travelling to Perth on Wednesday 26th October for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Additionally, the Royal couple will undertake two “away days” one to Brisbane on Monday 24th October, and one to Melbourne on Wednesday 26th October.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will depart Australia on Saturday 29th October.


Background
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh came to Australia in 1954, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002 and 2006.

Find out more about The Queen of Australia

Queensland's Premier Anna Bligh said the visit was "great news" for Queensland, where the deluge of water was followed almost immediately by destructive Cyclone Yasi.

The Queen's grandson Prince William toured disaster-affected communities in Queensland and southern Victoria, which also suffered major flooding, in March.

"I know Prince William's visit really gave people a shot in the arm after the terrible disasters that we had and I'm sure that people will feel the same when they see Queen Elizabeth here," Ms. Bligh said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard also welcomed the monarch's 10-day visit for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth on 28th to 30th October, which will also see her go to Melbourne and Canberra.

"Visits by the Queen are etched into the collective memory of the Australian people," Ms. Gillard said in a statement. "Many Australians can recall Her Majesty's previous visits as landmarks in their own lives."

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90th birthday of HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh

On his 90th birthday His Royal Highness Prince Philip receives a lot of praise for his role as the longest-serving royal consort. Even The Age could not help publishing an article that was not full of the usual nastiness, but gave a fair summary of his life. Many other papers and blogs refer to his achievements - and his very down to earth humor, for which is is equally loved or despised.


The Radical Royalist wants to point out his Australian connection. A very useful reminder of Prince Philip's role in Australia is Philip W. Pike's book The Royal Presence in Australia 1867 - 1986 from which the following excerpt is taken:

There has always been some confusion over the Duke of Edinburgh and his title. Sometimes he is referred to as Prince Philip and sometimes as the Duke of Edinburgh. The fact is, both titles are correct, but it wasn’t until 1957 when the Duke was still only a royal duke and not a prince that the Queen gave him a new title for his services to the Commonwealth and herself – he became Prince of the United Kingdom. He had shown that he had always been “his own man” and had avoided any inference that he was a Prince Consort living in his wife’s shadow.

Australia had always seen him as an individual. When he returned on 20th February 1965 he had already visited this country four times, twice with the Queen and twice alone. Now he was here on a brief visit to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

The Duke, who had not always endeared himself to journalists over the years, held an informal meeting with the Australian press. He was, on occasions very outspoken and had several years before lashed out at the press after they had reported “rifts” between himself and the Queen. Elizabeth Longford in her book Elizabeth R records his response: “Those bloody lies that you people print to make money. These lies about how I’m never with my wife ... If photographers poke a long lens through a keyhole into my private life, then I’m bloody nasty” – it seems a perfectly normal reaction from someone living life in a goldfish bowl.

It was outbursts like this that didn’t endear him to the press.

His most important engagement in Sydney was to deliver the first Dunrossil Memorial Lecture established by the Institute of Radio and Electronics Engineers in memory of its former patron, Viscount Dunrossil. Viscount Dunrossil was Governor-General of Australia from 2nd February 1960 to 3rd February 1961. He died suddenly in Canberra on 3 February 1961. He was buried in Canberra at historic St John the Baptist Church, Reid, and remains the only Australian Governor-General to die in office

There were four hundred people assembled in the lecture theatre [of the University of New South Wales] and the presentation was telecast and broadcast throughout Australia and conveyed by Compac cable to the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries.
His lecture was extremely successful. Its main theme was a plea to see science and humanism linked:

“We can control everything in this world except ourselves,” the Duke said.

“... it is true without this persistent investigation we wouldn’t know half the disturbing facts about our occupation of earth, but it seems to me that unless we make a very determined effort to sort out the problems created by man in his occupation of this earth it is very unlikely that further scientific exploration will be either necessary or possible.

“You may think I am getting slightly off beam, but I went off on that tack because I want to suggest that scientific and technological progress is not only valueless, it is actively harmful unless it is modified or directed by a social and humanitarian outlook.

“Scientists and engineers must give attention to really serious problems facing humanity.

“Although the scientific and technological revolution is by far the greatest influence upon the progress of modern human civilisation, scientists and technologists cannot should the whole responsibility for the direction mankind takes in the future.”

The message was quite clear and is even more relevant today. The editorial of the Sydney Morning Herald, commenting on the lecture, added that it “cannot be said too often, and it is no small gain that it should be impressed upon the Australian scientific community with such authority”.

“The Duke’s performance was masterly with the matter and manner of his lecture. It was also a testimony to his lively understanding of modern problems and his effective way of communicating his thoughts about them."

The Duke left Sydney by Qantas Airways at 4 p.m. on Friday 26th February. The departure was even more informal than his arrival.

The offical portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Austrailia, and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, available free of charge from every Member of Parliament. Ask your MP for your copy!

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were married at Westminster Abbey

Members of The Royal Family including Her Majesty The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attended the service at the Abbey, along with around 1,900 guests.

Thousands of people gathered to line the procession route, cheering the couple as they made their way to and from the Abbey.

The official wedding photographs for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now known as The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Couple are pictured in The Throne Room with (from left-to-right)back row: Master Tom Pettifer, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, The Bridegroom, The Bride, Mr. Michael Middleton, Mrs. Carole Middleton, Mr. James Middleton and Miss Philippa Middleton.
Front row: Miss Grace van Cutsem, Miss Eliza Lopes, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Queen, The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, Master William Lowther-Pinkerton.

Prince William arrived at the Abbey with Prince Harry, his Best Man. Prince William wore the uniform of Colonel of the Irish Guards, while Prince Harry wore the uniform of Captain of the Household Cavalry.

Catherine arrived with her father, Mr Michael Middleton at 11am.

Stepping out of the Rolls Royce Phantom VI, Catherine revealed her wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.

After blessing Catherine’s wedding ring, The Archbishop of Canterbury said: “I pronounce that they be man and wife together, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

A number of musicians, including the Choir of Westminster Abbey, The Chapel Royal Choir, The London Chamber Orchestra, The Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry played music during and after the service.

The Bride, Bridegroom, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and Mr and Mrs Middleton, along with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Westminster, then entered the most sacred part of the Abbey – the Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor – to sign the register, officially binding their marriage.

On leaving the Abbey, crowds cheered as the couple proceeded in a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, where members of The Royal Family stood on the balcony to watch the flypast over the palace.

The evening wedding reception was hosted by The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace.

Following the marriage ceremony, Prince William and Catherine Middleton became known as The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, titles conferred on them by The Queen and announced by Buckingham Palace on the morning of the wedding.

The Couple are pictured in The Throne Room with (left-to-right)back row: The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, The Bridegroom, The Bride, Master Tom Pettifer, Master William Lowther-Pinkerton.
Front row: Miss Grace van Cutsem, Miss Eliza Lopes, The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones.
The portrait in the background of the photograph is Richard Colley Wellesley, Marquess Wellesley (1760-1842), c.1832 by Sir Martin Archer Shee (oil on canvas).

For the first time during a Royal Wedding, the service was live streamed on The Royal Channel, accompanied by live commentary from St. James’s Palace. The live stream features highlights of the wedding day, as well as the option to watch the wedding on replay for a limited amount of time.

The official wedding photographs for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now known as The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The photographs were taken by Hugo Burnand.

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Republicans have no style

In which country can a government-owned organisation publish an insulting advertisement ahead of the head of state’s official birthday? The answer is: Australia, or to be precise: the State of Victoria. And here in particular the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), a Victorian Government-owned organisation set up in 1986, which published this half page advertisement in The Age and probably other local newspapers in Victoria as well.
Degrading the Queen of Australia has become something of a habit and takes place despite the Monarchists’ protests. However, to use a photo of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh two days before the Queen’s Birthday indicates an unknown depth in decency. And all this with the taxpayers' money. TAC's e-mail address: info@tac.vic.gov.au

For republicans Queen’s Birthday is, what Shaun Carney, The Age’s associate editor described like this: ”The republican question is now what used to be called in the newspaper game a ‘hardy annual’: a predictable, intrinsically inconsequential story that can be trotted out at the same time every year to little lasting effect."

We can expect more nastiness in the coming days and on Queen’s Birthday itself.

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Lots of media action, but no republic

The Age’s excitement sparkles from every word: “A year ago tomorrow, more than 1000 of the nation's best and brightest gathered, enthusiastic and idealistic, for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's 2020 talkfest.” (in: The Age, 18th April 2009)

Participants were less enthusiastic and recalled the obvious "guidance" by the government. Ted Evans, former Treasury secretary and now chairman of Westpac, who was in the economics group, called the agenda “managed”, "including in the group reporting, which was vetted by the Government" added The Age.

I was about to comment “the summit's overwhelming support for a republic” as The Age put it uncritically, but the whole thing is such a joke that it's not worth adding anything else to The Age's reporting, which speaks volumes about the summit's credibility. Who can be surprised they got a nearly 100 percent result for “a” republic, when no Monarchists were invited to take part in the discussion?

But fortunately it is the Australian people who decide on the Monarchy and NOT politicians or their handpicked summitteers.

Greg Craven, vice-chancellor of the Australian Catholic University, would like to see "a commitment to the start of a process" to prepare another referendum on “a” republic in Australia, but accepts "the process will take time".

That will give The Age many more opportunities to complain about Her Majesty’s mild reign over Her Commonwealth of Australia and the royal symbols in Australia.

The Duke of Edinburgh
And at the same time The Age can publish more articles on the Australian Royal Family, like the one published also in today’s edition on Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who opened the Melbourne Olympics in 1956, a fact which Aussie republicans may like to wipe out of the history books.

At least today’s article mentioned that the Prince, who will celebrate his 88th brthday in June, averages 370 functions a year beside The Queen — more than 18,500 since he became the Prince Consort. The Prince does not consider retirement nor a superannuation bonus which is granted to ex-politicians. He does not even get a salary, neither from the Australian taxpayer nor from the British.

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