queen's visit nz 1954

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Part one of two from this full length archival film.

Part two of two from this full length archival film.

The Royal Tour of New Zealand 1953 - 54

Short film (full length) – 1954.

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"So the Queen comes to New Zealand. 12,000 miles from the motherland she is not among strangers. She has come to her New Zealand home." When the Queen and Prince Philip began the first tour of NZ by a reigning monarch (soon after her coronation), a National Film Unit crew followed the journey, before condensing 40 days and 46 stops into a mere 25 minutes. Along the way the newly crowned Queen wears her coronation gown to open Parliament, and witnesses geysers, long-jumpers, Māori canoes, plus masses of enthused Dunedinites refusing to keep behind the barrier.

It’s the final lap in the royal journey, and at every vantage point they wait to see her. Even the cot-cases are brought from the hospitals. No better medicine. – Narrator

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Radio New Zealand Royal Tours Audio Collection

NZHistory.net entry on the 1953-54 Royal Tour

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The Queen's long-lasting relationship with NZ

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• First published on RNZ

Months after her coronation in early 1953, the Queen and her husband, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, headed to New Zealand where they spent Christmas and New Year's.

The Queen visited Dunedin in January 1954 where she was surrounded by a mass of flag-waving children at Forbury Park Racecourse in January 26, 1954.

During her nearly month-long tour, the Queen visited 46 towns and cities and attended more than 100 separate functions.

The visit heightened interest in the royals, with crowds flocking to the public events.

In Tirau, 10,000 people turned up to welcome her, and one woman even saw her 30 times.

On 12 January she opened Parliament - it was the first time a reigning monarch had opened Parliament.

A visit to Waitangi was added to the itinerary after it was initially omitted.

The Queen came back with her young family in March 1970, introducing Prince Charles and Princess Anne, before heading to Australia.

The Queen and Prince Philip also attended the 1974 Commonwealth Games, held in Christchurch in January and February.

The now-demolished QEII Park was built for the event. The royal couple took a motorcade around the stadium track and Queen Elizabeth presented medals to winners. She went to Waitangi events.

In 1977, she was back, this time to mark her Silver (25th) Jubilee.

She was in the country from 22 February to 7 March. She visited 11 centres and opened the Beehive on 28 February 1977.

The Queen returned for the Auckland Commonwealth Games in February 1990, and officially closed the event.

In October and November 1995, the Queen was in Auckland for a summit meeting of the heads of government from the Commonwealth nations.

During her visit, she personally delivered an apology from the Crown to the Tainui people, which formed part of the Waikato-Tainui treaty settlement.

In 1997, she hosted the All Blacks at Buckingham Palace, and again in 2002 and 2005.

While she didn't return after this visit, she has hosted New Zealanders at Buckingham Palace in recent years.

In 2008, the Queen joined the All Blacks and then-prime minister John Key as they visited the 'New Zealand Giant Rugby Ball' near Tower Bridge in central London.

In 2013, she presented Prince Philip with New Zealand's highest honour, the Order of New Zealand in the presence of Sir Lockwood Smith, High Commissioner for New Zealand, at Buckingham Palace.

In 2018, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford were hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

More recently, she held a Zoom call with new Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro, prior to her being sworn in. Prior to Covid, the investee would have visited a Royal residence, usually Buckingham Palace, with members of their family, to receive their insignia.

In March, 2011, Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, visited New Zealand to mark the Christchurch earthquake a month earlier and the Pike River mine disaster in November, 2010.

He returned in 2014 with his wife Kate and their infant son George. While here, the Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge unveiled a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, painted by New Zealand artist Nick Cuthell during a state reception at Government House.

In 2012, Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall visited New Zealand to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

In 2018, Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife Meghan visited New Zealand five months after their wedding.

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The 1954 Royal Tour – New Zealand Visit

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Visit of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953-1954

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Visit of Queen Elizabeth II

Kimbolton Road, street lights for coronation celebrations 1953

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Royal tour 1954; Mangaroa Railway Station decorated

Royal tour 1954; Daimler passing Council Chamber dais, Main Street

Royal tour 1954; Main Street parade, Mangaroa School group

Royal tour 1954; Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip arriving at Kaitoke station

Royal tour 1954; crowd in Main Street cheering the Queen

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Visit of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953-1954

The 1953-54 visit to New Zealand by the recently crowned Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip was a very major event at the time and is well remembered by those who were there. It was the first trip to this country by a reigning monarch and consequently the subject of considerable planning by the state, local authorities and community groups. In an itinerary that took the royal couple from Auckland to Milford Sounds, the Queen and Prince Philip visited 46 towns or cities and attended 110 separate functions. It's estimated that perhaps three in every four New Zealanders' saw them during this tour. They were in the Wellington region from January 9th – 16th, attending the races at the Wellington Racing Club in Trentham on Thursday January 14th. The following morning they travelled by train from Wellington to Masterton, passing through Upper Hutt. Returning to Wellington by car that afternoon (Friday January 15th), they undertook a brief tour of Upper Hutt along the way.

Kimbolton Road, street lights for coronation celebrations 1953

Royal tour 1954; Mangaroa Railway Station decorated

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Queen Elizabeth's Visit 1954

ALBUM - The crowd outside Revingtons to see the Queen on her visit to Greymouth .1954.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip in Greymouth, 1954.

Royal train for Queen Elizabeth's visit in Greymouth. 18th January 1954.

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The Royal Visit to New Zealand 1953 1954 ( 10 results)

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The Royal Visit to New Zealand: Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, December 1953-January 1954. With illustrations

John Michael Drinkrow Hardwick

Published by A.W.Reed, and Angus & Robertson, 1954

Seller: World of Rare Books , Goring-by-Sea, SXW, United Kingdom

(5-star seller) Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars

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Used - Hardcover Condition: Good

Within United Kingdom

Quantity: 1

Condition: Good. 1954. 80 pages. No dust jacket. Blue cloth with gilt lettering. Inscriptions to front pastedown and endpaper. Pages are lightly tanned and thumbed at the edges, with light foxing. Binding has remained firm. Boards are a little rub worn, slight shelf wear to corners, spine and edges. Corners are a little bumped. Spine ends are mildly crushed. Light tanning to spine and edges.

THE ROYAL VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND 1953-1954

Published by ANGUS & ROBERTSON, 1954

Seller: Happyfish Books , Meopham, KENT, United Kingdom

(4-star seller) Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars

First Edition

Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Included. 1st Edition. THERE IS WEAR AND TEARS TO THE DUST JACKET. VERY SMALL CREASING TO THE CORNERS OF THE COVERS. PAGES ARE GENERALLY CLEAN AND CREASE FREE. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A HARD TO FIND EDITION.

The Royal Visit to New Zealand of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh December 1953 - January 1954

Hardwick ; Richards

Published by A.H. & A.W. Reed, 1954

Seller: Books From California , Simi Valley, CA, U.S.A.

From U.S.A. to United Kingdom

Hardcover. Condition: Good.

The Royal Visit to New Zealand of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh 1953-1954

Unnamed, Unnamed

Published by A. H. & A. W. Reed

Seller: Wonder Book , Frederick, MD, U.S.A.

Association Member: ABAA ILAB

Used Condition: Good

Condition: Good. Good condition. No Dust Jacket (visits of state, Queen Elizabeth II) A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.

The Royal Visit To New Zealand of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II And Her Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh 1953 - 1954

J. H. Richards

Published by A. H. & A. W. Reed, 1954

Seller: Book Haven , Wellington, WLG, New Zealand

Used - Hardcover Condition: Fair

From New Zealand to United Kingdom

Hardback. Condition: Fair. May 1954 reprint. No DJ; not heavy but very large so extra postage may be needed; some foxing to endpapers and page edges; previous owner's name inside.

The Royal Visit to New Zealand of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh December 1953 - January 1954

Published by A.H.& A.W.Reed, Wellington, 1954

Seller: Mainly Fiction , Auckland, New Zealand

Used - Hardcover Condition: Near Fine

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Reprint. A near fine unmarked copy with a bright dust jacket which has some edge loss.

New Zealand Journey; Royal Visit 1953-1954; A Tour of New Zealand by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh

Williams, C. H. [Editor] D. W. Sinclair Photo Editor [L. G. McCullough Layout Artist]

Published by Published by The Secretary for Internal Affairs for the New Zealand Government, Wellington . New Zealand 1954., 1954

Seller: Little Stour Books PBFA Member , Canterbury, United Kingdom

Association Member: PBFA

Used - Hardcover

First edition hard back binding in publisher's original dark red leatherette covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine and front panel, colour illustrated end papers. Folio 11'' x 9''. Unpaginated printed pages of text with colour and monochrome maps and illustrations, monochrome photographs throughout. In Very Good condition, no dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. NEW ZEALAND (Aotearoa).

The Royal Visit to New Zealand of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh; December 1953 - January 1954

Hardwick, J. M. D.

Published by A. H. & A. W. Reed, Wellington, New Zealand, 1954

Seller: Sea Chest Books , Tucumcari, NM, U.S.A.

Cloth. Condition: Fair. Dust Jacket Condition: No DJ. Second Printing. Taupe cloth with gilt bordered gilt title on cover. Faded spine with considerable corner and band wear and serious bumping to bottom corners. Endpapers printed in reddish brown, with New Zealand's seal and commemorative emblem at front, and New Zealand map and Royal itinerary at the back. Owner name and inscription on front paste down. News photographs throughout. 80 pp. History, New Zealand, England, Queen's visit, Royalty.

The Royal Visit to New Zealand 1953 - 1954

Richards, J. H. (Edited) Text by Hardwick, J. M. D

Published by Angus & Robertson, Wellington, 1954

Seller: FiSHWiSHING , Asquith, NSW, Australia

Used - Hardcover Condition: Very Good

From Australia to United Kingdom

Cloth Bound. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. First Edition First Printing. A photographic and descriptive account of the Royal Vist to New Zealand from December 1953 to January 1954 of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her husband His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. A delightful view into different time.

New Zealand Journey: Royal Visit 1953-1954; a Tour of New Zealand By Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh

Williams C. H. (Editor), D.W. Sinclair

Published by The Secretary for Internal Affairs for the New Zealand Government, Wellington, 1954

Seller: A Book Preserve , Columbus, OH, U.S.A.

Used - Hardcover Condition: Fine

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. FINE dark maroon, gilt-stamped, bonded-leather boards. 4to. Unpaginated [about 150 pp.). Maps; photos; glossary of Maori. This is a day by day chronicle of the royal visit of 1954 made by Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh. Photos and maps for each leg of the journey. Endpages reproduce a tapestry that shows 35 coats of arms for principal towns and cities in New Zealand. Ships fast with tracking.

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Here's Why Queen Elizabeth II's 'secret letter' to Sydney people can only be opened in 2085

I n November 1986, Queen Elizabeth II wrote a letter to Sydney’s Lord Mayor with instructions to open it on a chosen day in 2085. The letter was preserved in a time capsule and stored in a secret vault inside the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney. It was kept in a glass case in a special area at the top of the building. According to News.com.au , the letter read: "On a suitable day to be selected by you in the year 2085 AD, would you please open this envelope and convey to the citizens of Sydney my message to them."

The letter was believed to celebrate the restoration of Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building, a popular landmark named after the queen’s great-great-grandmother. The building had been nearly demolished to make way for a parking lot, but it was preserved. The Queen’s letter likely thanked Sydney residents for saving the historic site. The letter was signed "Elizabeth R," with "R" standing for Regina, which means 'queen.'

Knewz.com figured out that the Queen Victoria Building, which opened in 1898, was named to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. It was now a shopping center but had almost been torn down in 1986. After the restoration was completed in 1986, Queen Elizabeth II wrote this mysterious letter, the purpose of which remained unknown.

In that year, a Malaysian company signed a 99-year lease on the building, which lasted until 2085—the same year the Queen's letter was to be opened. Researchers saw this as more than a coincidence and speculated that the Queen might have mentioned her hopes for the building’s safety and preservation in the letter.

Since Queen Elizabeth II wrote the letter about 35 years ago, it has been kept in a glass case in a restricted area. According to 7News , even the Queen’s staff did not know the letter’s contents. For her Platinum Jubilee on February 6, 2022, the Queen shared a heartfelt note with her people, expressing, "I continue to be inspired by the goodwill shown to me and hope that the coming days will provide an opportunity to reflect on all that has been achieved during the last seventy years."

The late Queen first visited Australia in 1954 at the age of 27 and was the first reigning monarch to visit the country. Around one million people turned out to catch a glimpse of her in Sydney. Elizabeth and Prince Philip returned in 1963 and continued to visit over the years. As Australia was part of the Commonwealth, the Queen served as its head of state for 70 years. During her reign, she visited Australia 16 times, with her last trip in 2011 when she met then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, on September 8, 2022, after months of health struggles. Her successor, King Charles III, became the Head of State for 15 Commonwealth countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and some Caribbean nations, as reported by the New York Post .