Queen Elizabeth II with Sir Walter Nash and several of her prime ministers and other Commonwealth of Nations leaders at the 1960 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference. Photo / Supplied
Queen Elizabeth II with Sir Walter Nash and several of her prime ministers and other Commonwealth of Nations leaders at the 1960 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference. Photo / Supplied
OPINION: It is with great sadness that we woke up to the news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last Friday, ending a lifetime of remarkable service.
I know many will be as shocked and saddened as I was to hear the news of her passing.
We knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the idea of life without the Queen will feel real.
The Queen was a monarch who embodied the ethic of public service – serving her people for over seven decades and carrying out her duty right until the end of her life – what a true commitment to public service.
Her record reign of 70 years is an absolute testament to her, and her commitment to us all.
During her reign, she has come to define notions of service, charity and consistency. Her commitment to her role and to all of us has been without question and unwavering.
Many of us – myself included – have never known another monarch - the Queen was a much-respected constant through unprecedented global change.
Stuart Nash says he still keeps a copy of the Queen's 1953 coronation programme at his house. Photo / NZME
My great-grandfather, Sir Walter Nash, and my great-grandmother, Lottie, represented New Zealand at her coronation in the United Kingdom in 1953 – I still have the coronation programme at home.
It's incredible to think about just how much has changed in New Zealand during the time of her reign.
In her death, the impact of her life of service really sets in.
I think about what we asked of that 25-year-old woman all those years ago – when she declared that her whole life, long or short, shall be devoted to our service.
Her life of service spans a rapid period of change in history – her first prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill, was born in 1874 – while her last, Liz Truss, was born in 1975 – over a hundred years apart – and yet she remained a touchstone, a constant.
The Queen visited Hawke's Bay a number of times during her visits to New Zealand - including five separate trips - in 1954, 1963, 1970, 1986 and 1990.
I know to many New Zealanders she was a much-admired and respected monarch.
New Zealand will mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II with a State Memorial Service and one-off public holiday on Monday, September 26.
As New Zealand's Queen and much-loved sovereign for more than 70 years, it is appropriate that we mark her life of dedicated public service with a State Memorial Service and a one-off public holiday.
I know many people will want the opportunity to pay their respects and the public holiday offers communities nationwide the chance to do that.
