Good morning,
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth the Second, an historic reign and a long life devoted to duty, family, faith and service has come to an end.
This is a morning of sadness for the world, for the Commonwealth and all Australians.
It is a day of profound sadness and grief for the Royal Family who have lost a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Australian hearts go out to the people of the United Kingdom who mourn today, knowing they will feel they have lost part of what makes their nation whole.
Queen Elizabeth II was a wise and enduring presence in our national life. Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II showed a deep affection for our country. As she said at the Sydney Opera House in the year 2000:
“[S]ince I first stepped ashore here […] I have felt part of this rugged, honest, creative land. I have shared in the joys and the sorrows, the challenges and the changes that have shaped this country’s history.
Queen Elizabeth II has been a wise and encouraging guide, always wanting the best for our nation and greeting each change with understanding, good grace and an abiding faith in the Australian people’s judgement.
In the coming days, the Governor-General and I will be heading to London where we will meet The King.
We will convey the sorrow of Australians as well as our best wishes to him, and the Queen Consort, as he takes on his duties as Sovereign.
Today marks the end of an era, the close of the second Elizabethan age.
This time of mourning will pass, but the deep respect and warm regard in which Australians have always held Her Majesty will never fade.
May she rest in eternal peace.
ADSO Offers its Codolences
Kel Ryan, ADSO Chairman has, on behalf of the Alliance of Defence Service Organisations, extended his sincere and deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the Queen’s family and all her subjects.
“Queen Elizabeth 11 has passed from our lives. She was our monarch for 70 years and remained a stabilising influence across the Commonwealth and the world. She was a point of reference for so many who looked to her as an exemplar in troubled times”.
“Her life was one of service, not only to those in the United Kingdom but across the British Commonwealth and beyond. This service defined her as she faced so many challenges across the spectrum of life”.
“Her passing will be felt by all veterans, who in military service, took an oath of allegiance to her”
“A truly remarkable lady has passed from our lives” he said.
