HM Queen Elizabeth II visited Northland several times during her 70-year reign. Photo / file
The Queen's numerous visits to Northland during her 70-year reign were always colourful, anticipated and largely celebratory events.
Queen Elizabeth II has passed away aged 96.
She was the longest-serving king or queen in the history of Britain and the Commonwealth, having acceded to the throne in 1952.
Her Majesty visited New Zealand ten times in all, including several times to Northland in 1953-1954, 1963, 1974 and 1990.
Other visits to Aotearoa were in 1970, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1995 and 2002.
Margaret Lomas recalls her experience of the royal visit which spanned six weeks from the end of December 23, 1953 to 31 January, 1954.
It was the first time a reigning sovereign had set foot in New Zealand and came soon after her coronation at Westminster Abbey.
The Queen toured 46 towns and attended 110 functions.
According to the New Zealand History website, the Queen and her husband the late Duke of Edinburgh flew into Kaikohe airport on December 28 where they received a public welcome.
They then travelled by car to a ceremony in Waitangi which was followed by a civic reception in Whangārei.
"I remember the Queen's visit to Whangārei, Northland," Lomas wrote.
"I was about 6 years of age then and the royal party was staying at the Grand Hotel.
"In the evening our family walked to the hotel and with many others chanted, 'We want the Queen, we want the Queen'.
"This had no response (they were most probably having dinner) so the chant changed to 'We want the Duke, we want the Duke'.
"This seemed to work as they soon appeared on the balcony to the loud cheers of the crowd.
"I was sitting on my father's shoulders so had a great view. I remember they looked very happy, and there was a wonderful feeling in the crowd."
The Queen and the Duke returned to New Zealand in 1963 to mark the anniversary of her accession to the throne and the 123rd anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
They arrived at the Bay of Islands in the Royal Yacht Britannia, escorted by HMNZS Otago, and attended Waitangi Day celebrations.
The Queen addressed the crowd, pledging to uphold the Treaty and ventured a few words of te reo Māori for the first time.
The Northern Advocate captured the event, which drew "the biggest crowd ever to attend a Waitangi Day celebration".
However, the event was marred by tragedy, as a bus carrying 36 people on their way home from the celebrations on February 7 crashed on the Brynderwyn Hills.
15 people died and 20 were injured in the crash which was caused when the brakes failed.
In early 1974 the Queen returned to attend the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch and what was then called 'New Zealand Day' events at Waitangi.
Prime Minister Norman Kirk had previously announced the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi would be a unifying national holiday called New Zealand Day.
The inaugural day featuring the Queen, the Duke and Prince Charles, was watched by 20,000 people and screened live for TV.
New Zealand Day was later abolished by the next (National) Government, who renamed it Waitangi Day.
During another visit to Waitangi in 1990, a woman threw a wet t-shirt at the Queen as she sat in a car waving at the crowds.
The shirt did not hit the British Monarch, but she looked startled as it landed in her car.
Henearoahuea Tepou, 27, was later sentenced in the Kaikohe District Court to five months of periodic detention.
The Queen last visited New Zealand to share her Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002, however Northland wasn't on the itinerary, as she visited Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington before travelling on to Australia.
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