From the Archives, 1958: The Queen Mother dazzles Melbourne
The Queen Mother waves to the crowd along St Kilda Road
The Queen Mother, as always, remained imperturbable. She exited the car, turned to Swanston Street and raised her hand in the now familiar salute.
Many in the great crowd waited for her to leave.
The Queen Mother waved and smiled her way through the longest and busiest day of her stay here. It started at 10 AM and lasted until almost midnight.
At the end, Her Majesty was still smiling, still beaming, still more relaxed than anyone around her.
Wherever she went, she was followed by tens of thousands… most of them women and children. For many, it was the last chance to see the Queen Mother.
Hours ahead, they waited patiently behind barricades, often knowing they would get little more than a glimpse as the Royal Car swung by.
Schoolchildren form the word WELCOME during their spectacular demonstration in front of the Queen Mother at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Day of magical moments
For Melbourne, yesterday was filled with magical moments.
In the morning at MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, 35,000 children shouted one of the biggest welcomes of the Australian tour. The Queen Mother stood upright in an open Land Rover and circled slowly around each group in the arena.
From the royal box, she watched the children spell out a huge “Welcome” on the meticulously manicured MCG turf.
At ST. KILDA CITY HALL, representatives of 200 women’s organizations overcame their natural curiosity and acted as if it were a normal tea party.
Staring was taboo as the Queen Mother walked slowly down the hall, often stopping to talk to the guests.
At Queen Victoria Hospital, the Queen Mother declared the new Jessie McPherson block open in the afternoon and visited patients and premature babies.
At the town hall the mayor, Cr. Thomas, presents the Queen Mother with the welcome address of the City of Melbourne.
“What a bright, sunny room,” she exclaimed when she saw one of the new rooms in the hospital.
In a colorful ceremony at Wilson Hall, University of Melbourne, the Queen Mother received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws and told a medical student she was sorry the students were “so quiet”.
The students’ traditional jokes were not forthcoming due to strict security measures.
“It seems a shame if the students are completely held back.” Her Majesty said, “Unless they get to the awkward stage, it’s fun.”
Flour bombs, she added, were “a little uncomfortable.”
Then, after dinner at Government House, it was ball time.
Unplanned incidents
During the day there were the unplanned incidents typical of the loyalty and affection of the younger Victorians.
Outside the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind yesterday morning, the Queen Mother stopped her car to receive a bouquet of gardenias from a seven-year-old blind girl. “Thank you very much. They are beautiful,” the Queen Mother told Margaret Oliphant of Nhill.
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Five hundred students from the Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy scattered flower petals and leaves on the roadway in front of the school as the Royal Progress made its way to the university.
Tens of thousands of people are expected along the route this morning for the final royal progression of this triumphant tour.
The Queen Mother will leave Government House for Essendon at 10:00 am. The Royal car pulls up outside Melbourne City Hall for a farewell from the Mayor (Cr. Thomas).
The Queen Mother arrives at the airport at 11am.
“You have endeared yourself to the people during your short stay,” the Prime Minister (Mr Bolte) told the Queen Mother at Queen Victoria Hospital yesterday.
“You’ve met the people, and we’re all the better for it.”