Queen right to her last breath

The Queen and Prince Philip on the balcony of the Masonic Hotel in January 1954. Photo / supplied

It almost never happened, but a memorable hongi helped shape one of Queen Elizabeth II's visits to Hawke's Bay.

Amid a flood of tributes for the UK's longest-serving monarch, the little-known story of how it happened has been recalled.

The Queen died on Friday morning (NZT) aged 96, having reigned for 70 years.

She visited Hawke's Bay on five separate trips - in 1954, 1963, 1970, 1986 and 1990 - attracting enormous crowds and fanfare each time.

Ngahiwi Tomoana, who served as Ngati Kahungunu iwi chairman for 26 years, recalled a big powhiri held for Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during a visit in February 1986.

He said about 500 men and 300 women took part, led by Pita Sharples and his wife Aroha, at the old Nelson Park in Hastings.

"It was huge. They had the entourage coming from Napier to Hastings and all the roads were lined with people and the powhiri [was held] at Nelson Park," he said.

"At the time there was a request that the Queen did not want to hongi with anybody.

"But one of our elders at the time, Taanga Tomoana, my uncle, he said, 'when the Queen is here she follows our culture, our customs, our tikanga'."

Tomoana said the Queen agreed and shared the hongi with Taanga, and with a typically beaming smile on her face throughout, "for the whole tribe".

He said it was sad to hear of her passing.

"She died in the saddle, without time to relax at all. She was a Queen right to her last breath," he said.

"She was our Treaty partner. We always saw her as a Treaty partner."

Napier MP Stuart Nash said his great-grandfather, former prime minister Sir Walter Nash, had the honour of representing New Zealand at her coronation back in 1953.

"I have an immense amount of respect for her. It is a very sad day," he said.

"We have lost a true icon and someone who I think was a remarkable woman."

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said as the longest-serving British monarch, "her calm and compassionate presence will be missed in so many ways".

"Our community was so lucky to have had her visit several times over the decades, and I'm sure many people could recall the excitement those visits generated."

She said the royals even stayed at the iconic Masonic Hotel in Napier on one of the trips.

Napier residents have taken to Facebook to express how they feel about the Queen's death.

"The only Queen I have been bought up with. May You Rest in Peace now. Thank you for ALL you have done."

"Thank you for your service Ma'am. You will be missed."

"Rest in peace my Queen".

■ If you wish to write or send your condolences, you can visit Waiapu Anglican Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in the Napier foyer.