Regal: Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Benalla Station in 1954.
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Contributed
Following the news that Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch had passed away, many in our community were in mourning.
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One local man who was particularly saddened by the news was David Lowing, who recalled meeting the Queen in Echuca when she visited the north east in 1954.
When the news first broke the Queen’s son, now King Charles III, described it as a moment of the greatest sadness.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved mother,” King Charles III said.
“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”
For most in north-east Victoria, and across the commonwealth, she was the only monarch they knew.
For Mr Lowing, she was the second, but having had the opportunity to meet her, she was close to his heart.
“From memory it was about March 1954, we’d not long gone back to school,” Mr Lowing said.
“We caught a train to Echuca, then we went the showgrounds, which she had come to visit.”
Standing with his friends from school, Mr Lowing watched as the Queen moved around the area, getting closer and closer.
“There was a few of us in a little group and she came up to us and said good morning,” Mr Lowing said.
“We said hello Your Majesty, which we’d been rehearsing.
“She looked at me and said what’s your name? I said my name’s David and she smiled at me.
“I’ll never ever forget that smile it was like her whole face shone and brightened the day.”
In mourning: Benalla Lion David Lowing has fond memories of meeting Queen Elizabeth II.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
Mr Lowing said although the Duke of Edinburgh was not with her in Echuca, he had an opportunity to meet him later in life.
“I met the Duke at Parkwood Station. My grandfather and I were invited there to meet him.
“That was back when I was a teenager and he used to travel to Australia by himself quite regularly.”
Mr Lowing is a member of the Benalla Lions Club, which will be remembering the Queen with the renaming of a section of Moira Reserve.
As published in The Ensign earlier in the year, the club has funding to plant native trees on the reserve.
As a mark of respect part of the reserve will be renamed the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Gardens.
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