The Queen bade farewell to Australia on Sunday at the end of a successful Commonwealth tour timed to coincide with her Golden Jubilee celebrations. A crowd of 30,000 well-wishers braved a rainy day in Brisbane to catch a glimpse of the monarch and her husband Prince Philip during their informal city-centre walkabout. The couple then attended a church service at the city’s St John’s Cathedral.
Queen Elizabeth, who was in Australia to open a Commonwealth summit in the coastal resort of Coolum, was later given an official farewell by the Governor-General, Reverend Peter Hollingsworth, in Brisbane's South Bank district, where she inspected a guard and received a 21-gun salute.
Speaking to the crowds during at the People’s Reception in Roma Street Parkland, the Queen said: “On this last day of my visit to Australia, I would like to express my gratitude to you all for the warmth of the welcome Prince Philip and I have received at every stage.
“Although this visit has been brief,” she continued, “it has provided both Prince Philip and I with the chance to witness at first hand the way in which Australia is facing up to the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Once again we have both been struck by both the diversity as well as the dynamism of Australia, and the vigour and humour of Australians everywhere.”
The Queen’s decision to press ahead with the Jubilee tour, despite the death of Princess Margaret last month, has won her admiration, especially because of the hectic schedule involved. What had been planned as a three-week visit to Australia and New Zealand last year, with a trip to Jamaica this year, ended up being a two-week visit to all three countries.
Fears that the queen's visit would be over-shadowed by a scandal involving her representative came to nothing. Despite mounting protests and calls for his resignation, the Queen declined to comment on Reverend Hollingsworth’s handling of a child abuse case in the Nineties when he was Archbishop of Brisbane, and the ongoing row did not significantly affect the royal visit.
And the Duke of Edinburgh’s gaffe – when he asked an Aboriginal dance troupe whether they still threw spears at each other – simply met with surprise and some amusement. The couple are scheduled to arrive back in the UK on Monday.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
