Here Comes the Queen

To visiting Queen Elizabeth and her entourage, New Zealand was dignified, orderly, altogether like home. Australia, 1,000 miles to the west, was--altogether different.

A million goggling Aussies whooped it up on the shore as the royal liner Gothic steamed into Sydney harbor. There were 1,000 private yachts, several Australian warships, scores of sightseeing steamers, and a school of hot-rod speedboats driven by cheering teenagers, who seemed more eager to swamp the police boats than to welcome their Queen. Cannon roared; sirens blew; wave after wave of fighter aircraft swooped low over the royal yacht. Her Majesty, helped by Philip, stepped ashore at Farm Cove, where the first English settlers (290 freemen and 717 convicts) landed in 1788.

Overwhelming Welcome. "Good on you, Liz and Philip," cried Australians, as they shoved the cops aside to get a glimpse at the Queen. Elizabeth shook hands with 72 dignitaries, then drove through ten miles of deafening cheers to put a wreath on the Cenotaph and attend a luncheon. She found the Sydney summer sunshine (over 80DEG) "rather warm," and to prove it, said the governor of New South Wales, "lifted her pearls to show me the contrast underneath where the suntan missed." Her Majesty also remarked that the warmth of her welcome had been "almost overwhelming."

Next day it was overwhelming. Seated in the royal chair, under glaring floodlights, Elizabeth opened the State Parliament of New South Wales by commanding the Usher of the Black Rod to summon the legislators "to attend me in this House." Nothing happened: the legislators were not ready. Seven slow minutes ticked away, while Philip tapped his foot and the unsmiling Queen moistened her lips. Eventually, when the legislators arrived, most of them were so flustered that they forgot to bow to their Queen.

Wild Colonials. Next afternoon, during the 23-mile state procession, some of the crowd of 1,200,000 burst through the police barriers and halted the royal car on eight separate occasions. Men & women clutched Philip's arm, tried to shake his hand, patted the royal shoulders and tossed confetti and flags into the car. After a lunch at Sydney University, the duke was flustered by a posse of wolf-whistling teenagers, who oohed: "Isn't he nice? . . . He's beautiful." In the evening, instead of dancing, many of the 2,000 guests at the Lord Mayor's ball stood in a ring around the dais, just staring at the blushing Queen. Elizabeth's smiles gradually vanished, and soon she left the room to avoid the sea of staring eyes. Said one embarrassed Australian: "We must look like a bunch of wild colonials."

Government officials appealed to enthusiastic Aussies to restrain their enthusiasm and give the young Queen a little peace. Both Elizabeth and Philip would need it, for in the next two months, they will travel 14,450 miles, visit 68 cities, attend 26 civic receptions, 34 royal processions, four state banquets, six balls, six garden parties, 17 children's displays and three openings of Parliaments.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.