Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II marked 70 years on the throne - a monumental milestone for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch - months before her death in September 2022.
Just 25 when she came to the throne after the death of her father George VI, she also became the third-longest reigning monarch in the world.
To mark her Platinum Jubilee, festivities from a pageant involving 10,000 people to the traditional Trooping the Colour Parade, theatre performances, concerts and street parties took place across four days. The days of mourning between her death and her state funeral saw the royals gather for much more sombre appearances as they remembered their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Countless Kiwis watched the funeral from their homes, and for many of them, the ceremony will have brought up memories of the time they met the Queen themselves, or saw her waving to the crowds during one of her many trips to New Zealand.
As the figurehead of the monarchy, the Queen’s relationship with Aotearoa was at times a complicated one. But it’s undeniable that she had a special place in Kiwis’ hearts, having navigated questions of sovereignty with grace throughout her years on the throne.
She was here during the Tangiwai disaster on Christmas Eve in 1953. She celebrated Waitangi Day with us on the Treaty Grounds. She introduced us to her children and grandchildren, opened Parliament buildings, and closed the Commonwealth Games. And it was in New Zealand in 1981 that she was the target of an assassination attempt, which may have been the closest anyone ever came to taking the Queen’s life.
Her most recent - and final - visit to New Zealand took place in 2002.
Here we take a look back at Her Majesty's 10 memorable visits to the land of the long white cloud.
1953-1954
The Queen's first visit in December 1953 also marked the first time a reigning sovereign set foot on New Zealand soil.
The newly-crowned monarch visited 46 towns and cities and went to 110 functions during the trip. One woman famously saw her 30 times.
Her Christmas message was broadcast from Auckland, during which she paid her respects to the victims of the Tangiwai rail disaster and their families.
1963
The Queen returned to New Zealand 10 years later. Her February 1963 visit was timed so that she would arrive from Fiji and step straight onto New Zealand soil at Waitangi.
At the time, chairman of the New Zealand Māori Council Tui Carroll told the monarch in his address that Māori wanted the Treaty to have further statutory recognition.
1970
March 1970 marked 200 years since Captain Cook and the Endeavour crew first came to New Zealand.
It was on this visit that the Queen established the royal "walkabout", now a tradition for each royal visit. She also introduced her children, Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Princess Anne to the country.
1974
During her 1974 visit to Aotearoa, the Queen attended the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, as well as events at Waitangi to celebrate New Zealand Day.
She also opened Parliament, which passed legislation that year to confirm her local title as Queen of New Zealand. She was accompanied on this visit by her husband the Duke of Edinburgh as well as Prince Charles, and Princess Anne and her husband Mark Phillips.
1977
The year 1977 marked the Queen's Silver Jubilee, celebrating 25 years on the throne. As part of this royal tour, Her Majesty visited 11 centres in New Zealand. She also opened the Executive Wing building, also known as the Beehive, at Parliament in Wellington.
She gave a speech and unveiled a bronze plaque on the occasion, attending a banquet with 300 guests in the new Banquet Hall afterwards.
1981
The Queen's 1981 visit very nearly ended in disaster after an assassination attempt.
In October that year, the Queen was visiting Dunedin when Kiwi teenager Christopher John Lewis aimed a .22 rifle at her from five storeys above her motorcade.
He missed, but it was quickly covered up as the government rushed to conceal just how close he had come to assassinating the Queen.
Then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon reportedly feared that if the word got out, the royals would never visit New Zealand again.
1986
The Queen's visit from February to March 1986 was an extension of trips to Nepal and Australia.
This visit, like many others, was marked by appointments of several Kiwis to the Royal Victorian Order in the 1986 Royal Visit Honours.
1990
During her February 1990 visit, the Queen closed the Commonwealth Games in Auckland and attended events to mark 150 years since the Treaty of Waitangi was signed.
She also visited Queenstown with the Duke of Edinburgh, planting a tree at Earnslaw Park which was ripped out and stolen shortly afterwards. The thief was never identified and the tree was never found.
1995
Her Majesty returned in November 1995, attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Auckland and opening the refurbished Parliament Buildings.
During this visit, she personally delivered an apology to the Tainui people from the British Crown. This apology was part of the Waikato-Tainui treaty settlement, including financial compensation and land adding up to $170 million.
2002
The Queen's final visit to New Zealand was part of the celebrations of her Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years on the throne.
At a state dinner held in her honour, she addressed New Zealanders with these moving words.
"Whenever Prince Philip and I are here we particularly appreciate the warmth and friendliness of New Zealanders; the diverse culture and the stunning beauty of the country; and the opportunity to share your special way of life," she said at the time.
"This is a very different country from the one I first visited all those years ago. The changes here over these fifty years have been dramatic; I have admired your increasing energy and confidence. I know that this process of evolution will continue as you, the people of New Zealand, map out your path for the future in your own time and in your own way.
“I look forward to continuing to serve to the best of my ability in the years to come. It fills me with great pride to stand before you here today to express my lasting respect and deep affection for this country and for New Zealanders everywhere.”
