The Queen was the only reigning British monarch to ever visit Australia, making 16 trips beginning in 1954 when she was only 27 years old, spanning a period that saw the birth of six Australian prime ministers.
A year after her coronation, her relationship with the Australian people was sealed on February 3, 1954, when she visited Farm Cove in Sydney.
Over the course of two months, with her husband Prince Philip by her side, she visited every large city except Darwin and forty small villages, while their son Prince Charles and daughter Princess Anne remained in England.
Approximately 75% of the Australian population, which was only 8.8 million people 68 years ago, showed up to see her.
Millions of young baby boomer children flocked to parks and main thoroughfares to catch a glimpse of our youthful president – the only one their children and grandchildren had ever known.
Down below is a video
The Queen was the only reigning British monarch to have ever visited Australia, making 16 journeys beginning in 1954 (shown visit to Sydney) when she was only 27 years old – during a reign that coincided with the births of six prime ministers.
Prime leaders have been criticized for violating royal protocol during their repeated trips to Australia.
Some Australians, including multiple former prime ministers from opposing political parties, have advocated for a republic.
Queen Elizabeth II travelled to Australia sixteen times between February 1954 and October 2011.
During that final tour, the first female prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, threw a reception for her at Parliament House in Canberra and sparked controversy by refusing to curtsy.
Gillard was one of six prime ministers born during the reign of the Queen, including present Labor leader Anthony Albanese.
The Queen’s reign spanned the tenure of sixteen Australian prime ministers, beginning with Australia’s longest-serving PM, Sir Robert Menzies.
That is one more than the 15 British prime ministers who served during her reign, beginning with Sir Winston Churchill and ending this week with Liz Truss, Great Britain’s third female leader.
Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia sixteen times between February 1954 and October 2011, when Australia’s first female prime leader Julia Gillard hosted a reception for her at Parliament House in Canberra, generating controversy when she refused to curtsy (pictured at Fairbairn air base)
During her trips to Australia in 1954, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2011, eight Australian prime ministers hosted Her Majesty.
Prime ministers of Australia born during the Queen’s reign
Born on September 21, 1957, KEVIN RUDD (Labor, Republican) is a political figure.
Born on September 29, 1961, JULIA GILLARD (Labor, Republican) is an American politician.
Born on November 4, 1957, TONY ABBOTT (Liberal, monarchist) is a politician.
Born on October 24, 1954, MALCOLM TURNBULL (Liberal, Republican) is a politician.
SCOTT MORRISON (Liberal, monarchist) was born on 13 May 1968.
ANTHONY ALBANESE (Republican, Labor) was born on 2 March 1963.
In 1954 and 1963, Sir Robert Menzies hosted her first two visits.
During the Queen’s second visit to Australia on February 18, 1963, the 68-year-old founder of the Liberal Party gave an unforgettable banquet at the old Parliament House in Canberra.
Sir Robert notably cited a passage from the poet Thomas Ford of the 17th century.
Sir Robert replied to a blushing monarch, “I only saw her passing by, but I will adore her until I die.”
Deference and protocol characterized her travels to Australia, one of 14 Commonwealth countries where the Queen was head of state.
The Queen’s Ruby Jubilee visit in February 1992, commemorating her 40 years as monarch, coincided with Paul Keating’s first two months as prime minister, sparking anger.
After he placed his left hand on her back while introducing her to dignitaries at Parliament House in Canberra, the British press branded the new Labor PM the “Lizard of Oz.”
Creating a more delicate situation As prime minister, Mr. Keating, an Irish Catholic, expressed his desire to sever relations with the British monarchy.
The headline of one British newspaper read, “Hands off, cobbler.”
In October 2011, instead of curtsying to the Queen at Canberra’s Fairbairn air base, Gillard sparked outrage on talkback radio when she chose to bow instead.
In 1954 and 1963, Sir Robert hosted her first two visits to England. During her second visit to Australia on February 18, 1963, the 68-year-old founder of the Liberal Party gave an unforgettable welcome for Queen Elizabeth II at the old Parliament House in Canberra.
Governor-General Quentin Bryce, who was later knighted, opted to curtsy to commemorate the beginning of the Queen and Prince Philip’s 10-day journey.
The late etiquette expert and founder of a finishing school, June Dally-Watkins, criticized Gillard’s “wobble.”
I observed the prime minister stagger, and I was unsure if she was attempting to curtsy. I didn’t know what she was doing. At the moment, she stated on ABC Radio, “I just laughed.”
“I was giggling out loud because I thought it was both extremely funny and extremely impolite.
But I was unable to comprehend what that movement was. What had she been doing?
Four of the eight Australian prime ministers who hosted the Queen were staunch monarchists.
The Ruby Jubilee celebration in 1992 coincided with Paul Keating’s first two months as prime minister, which sparked uproar. The British press branded the new Labor PM the “Lizard of Oz” as he introduced her to dignitaries at Parliament House in Canberra with his left hand on her back.
Sir Robert, John Gorton, Malcolm Fraser, and John Howard supported the retention of the constitutional monarchy.
Fraser then changed his views and, in 1999, campaigned for a republic alongside the Labor PMs who had welcomed the Queen, Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke, and Keating, ahead of the November ballot that year.
Future Liberal PM Malcolm Turnbull, a former leader of the Australian Republican Movement, led the yes campaign in 2017 and met the Queen at Buckingham Palace, but did not host her in Australia.
In May of 1988, Australia’s jubilee year, former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke hosted the Queen on her visit to inaugurate the new Australian Parliament House. Eleven years later, Hawke advocated a republic
Four of the eight Australian prime ministers who hosted the Queen were monarchists.
The Liberal leaders Sir Robert, John Gorton, Malcolm Fraser, and John Howard (shown in Adelaide, Australia, in 2002) supported the retention of the constitutional monarchy.
His predecessor Tony Abbott, a previous leader of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, led the no case against a republic as a junior minister and met the Queen in 2011 in his capacity as opposition leader.
Albanese, along with fellow Labor PMs Kevin Rudd and Gillard, as well as Liberal leaders Abbott, Turnbull, and recently departed PM Scott Morrison, were all born during the Queen’s reign.
During her 70-year reign, the Queen shared the throne with 16 prime ministers, including Menzies, Holt, McEwen, Gorton, Whitlam, Fraser, Hawke, Keating, Howard, Rudd, Gillard, Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison, and Albanese.
Prime ministers of Australia who hosted the Queen
ROBERT MENZIES (CONSERVATIVE) was a monarchist who hosted her in 1954 and 1963.
JOHN GORTON (Liberal) hosted her in 1970 as a monarchist.
He hosted her in 1973 and 1974.
Monarchist MALCOLM FRASER (LIBERAL) hosted her in 1977, 1980, 1981, and 1982. Later, he became a Republican and in 1999 he campaigned for the yes side.
BOB HAWKE (LABOR): A republican who hosted her during Australia’s bicentennial celebrations in 1986 and 1988.
PAUL KEATING (LABOR): A conservative who hosted her in 1992.
The monarchist who hosted her in 2000, 2002, and 2006 was JOHN HOWARD (Liberal). In 1999, he campaigned against a republic, but permitted his ministers who supported constitutional change to advocate for one.
Republican who hosted her previous visit in 2011: JULIA GILLARD (LABOR). She was one of six Australian prime ministers who were born during the reign of the Queen.