The Queen in Queensland

Once again I have stood in the sun to see HM Queen Elizabeth II. My first sighting was in 1954 just after her coronation in 1953. That 2 month visit was the largest event in Australian history as between 6 to 8 million of the entire population of 9 million saw the Queen in person. It is not surprising therefore that I was there. Since then I guess I have participated every visit here over the last 57 years and one accidental sighting in London. There have also been a few visits by other royals that I attended as well. There were hot days in the arena of the Royal Show-Grounds as schools were herded together, twice on the river as she arrived on the Royal Yacht Britannia, some street walks and a cold rainy midnight in front of my flat when she was returning from a function. In that occasion HRH Prince Philip had to nudge her in the ribs to wake the sleeping Queen so she would give a wave to a solitary bunch drunk fans with their noses pressed against the royal car window. That flat was a great royal spotting place as it was on the route between the airport and Government House. Prince Charles waved up at me while I was watering my plants one day and I also got a wave from Princess Alexandra as I sat in my window sill on another occasion. Today here in Brisbane tens of thousands gathered along the river as she journeyed up the river on a yacht to the Southbank Parklands and Cultural Centre where she reopened a rainforest destroyed during the devastating floods earlier this year. The cute small boy in the photo with the uniform and gloves was a big hit with the crowd as everyone was taking photos of him saluting and making the Royal wave. He was just opposite from where I stood.
The Royal YouTube Channel