Queen Elizabeth ll, wearing a traditional Maori feather cloak, smiles as she is welcomed by Maoris during her Silver Jubilee Tour of New Zealand on February 01, 1977.
Queen Elizabeth ll, wearing a traditional Maori feather cloak, smiles as she is welcomed by Maoris during her Silver Jubilee Tour of New Zealand on February 01, 1977.
Rotorua residents are joining the world to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96.
She was the longest-serving king or queen in the history of Britain and the Commonwealth, having acceded to the throne in 1952.
A Rotorua Lakes Council spokeswoman said the council was flying the Union Jack and New Zealand flag at half-mast at the Civic Centre and if people would like to drop off flowers, they are encouraged to do so at the cenotaph in Government Gardens.
"We're arranging a condolences book which will be available for the community to sign in [the] council's civic centre foyer. "
She said more information would be provided once it was available.
Flags were also flying at half mast at Bay of Plenty Regional Council's three offices.
The New Zealand flag and the Union Jack at half mast on the Rotorua Lakes Council building after Queen Elizabeth II died this morning. Photo / Andrew Warner.
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said the Queen was deeply loved and respected locally.
"The Queen's passing will be mourned around the world, including in Rotorua. Rotorua residents extended their manaakitanga to the Queen several times, including during her honeymoon tour, and these were always wonderful occasions.
"We greatly admired her for her absolute commitment to service which never faltered."
Ngāti Whakaue kaumātua Monty Morrison said he was saddened at the loss of "a treasure" who had meant so much to New Zealand and to the world.
"She's been a dignified leader, a steady hand on the world stage and a fabulous connector for people and communities around the world.
"The Queen showed a level of service that we can only aspire to."
Morrison met Queen Elizabeth on two occasions. The first was on his OE with his wife in 1975.
"We managed to get invites to her birthday garden party at Buckingham Palace. I spoke to her then. She was lovely, warm and when she found out I was from New Zealand she said she had very fond memories of our country."
Morrison met the Queen for a second time when he was headmaster of a school in Hamilton in the 1980's.
"I introduced her to our staff and that was a really wonderful occasion."
Rotorua MP Todd McClay said he was saddened to hear of the Queen's death.
"Although she was of a great age, she worked right up to the very end, swearing in the UK's new Prime Minister [Liz Truss]."
McClay said Elizabeth II had been the "Queen of New Zealand" all his life and his grandmother had owned tea towels and teaspoons with royal memorabilia.
"Regardless of people's views, I think New Zealand has been a better place with her as our Head of State."
Image 1 of 22: Queen Elizabeth II with Mayor of Rotorua Ray Boord, followed by the Duke of Edinborugh and Prince Charles walking down the Rotorua Lake reserve, in 1977. Photo/RDP Staff Photographer
McClay said he was not a republican.
He said Queen Elizabeth had been "extremely strong" and cared "deeply" about her subjects throughout the Commonwealth.
"She has kept the institution of the royal family together with great dignity ... great humility and affection."
McClay believed King Charles III would be a "good king" and believed he had a "fondness for New Zealand".
In 1977, a 13-year-old Linda Cowbourne was among locals who lined the Rotorua lakefront to demonstrate their hobbies for the royal couple on an informal walk.
She recalls she and other members of the sailing club lined their boats up on the lakefront.
"Back then it was quite a thing for the royals to come."
Queen Elizabeth on her 1977 royal visit at the Rotorua Lakefront.
As she stood in front of her wooden P-Class, both the Queen and the Duke stopped to speak to her.
"I was the only girl, that's why I stood out."
She doesn't remember the exchanges but the Rotorua Daily Post recorded that the Queen asked her how long she had had the boat and where she sailed it.
Half a century on, Cowbourne, living in Maungaturoto in Northland, says her lasting impression was that being picked out positively reinforced her participation in a sport that was, at the time, unusual for girls.
While she had not closely followed the royals as an adult, Cowbourne said she kept a "soft spot" for Queen Elizabeth.
Sarah Pearson, who owns Honey Comb Hair in Rotorua, said she "shed a little tear" this morning after finding out the Queen had died.
Queen Elizabeth II visiting the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute wood carving school in Rotorua in 1995.
"She wasn't always my favourite royal - but she really was an amazing woman. It's quite incredible she reigned for that long."
She remembered her for always having a "calm manor" and being "very therapeutic" during tough times.
"When something bad happened, everyone would wait for the Queen to enter a statement."
Pearson, who was born in the same London hospital as Prince Harry, saw Queen Elizabeth once at an event as a child and recalled having to practice the royal wave.
She said her father was "quite a royalist" and would be devastated by the news.
Queen Elizabeth II attends the launch of The Queen's Baton Relay for Birmingham 2022, the XXII Commonwealth Games at Buckingham Palace on October 07, 2021 in London. Photo / Getty
"If he was alive today he would be standing up in front of the TV saluting in a suit all day."
Her parting words to the Queen were: "Thank you, Ma'am".
Former curator at Rotorua Museum, Ann Somerville, said she remembered the Queen's 1953 visit to New Zealand "very clearly".
"It was huge. We all had dresses especially made and medals and little flags. We waited in the hot sun in Te Kuiti for hours and got very very sunburnt through our nylon dresses, but we loved it.
"Every little town (almost) in the land created a dias and decorated them with millions of hydrangeas and local dignitaries got to meet them."
Somerville said the Queen and the Royal family "played a huge part in our lives in the 1950s".
Queen Elizabeth at Arawa Park, Rotorua, January 1954.
"We kept scrapbooks and read Marion Crawford's books about them.
"I think one of my favourite moments though was in 2020 when she gave her Christmas message and said 'We will meet again' ... it has tones of wartime and hope, and it was perfect."
She said the Queen had lived an "extraordinary" life with dignity and humility.
"She has adapted over the decades to the changing social values of the time. [It] takes courage to do that when there are no precedents to call on."
Rotorua Multicultural Council president Margriet Theron said she will always remember being led by the hand up the streets of Cape Town in 1950 just to catch a glimpse of then Princess Elizabeth and the royal family drive past.
"I was eight years old and my mother took us three girls to the side of the highway," Theron tearfully told the Rotorua Daily Post.
ROYAL TOUR 1981 Queen Elizabeth II meets entertainers during her tour of New Zealand New Zealand Herald photograph 16 July 1981.
"We stood there waiting on the sidewalk and it was just, it was just memorable. They were two beautiful young women, two princesses really, beautifully dressed and smiling. The whole sidewalk was full of people cheering."
Theron said it was the crown princess' 21st birthday that year and she gave her famous radio broadcast from Capetown.
"It doesn't really matter if she was your queen. Wherever you came from, she set such a wonderful example. The example of serving other people and always doing the right thing and being kind to people."
Queen's visits to Rotorua
Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, visited Rotorua four times during her reign.
Image 1 of 22: Queen Elizabeth II with Mayor of Rotorua Ray Boord, followed by the Duke of Edinborugh and Prince Charles walking down the Rotorua Lake reserve, in 1977. Photo/RDP Staff Photographer
Their first visit was part of the 46-town "honeymoon tour" of New Zealand in the summer of 1953-54.
The couple spent the first four days of the New Year in Rotorua. Crowds lined the streets for their arrival.
The following day, a huge crowd – one estimate puts it at 40,000 spectators including Māori from around New Zealand - packed Arawa Park for a 90-minute Māori welcome.
The Queen also gave a speech, drawing gasps of surprise and cheers when she ended it with a few words of te reo: "kia ora koutou".
During their visit they also attended a public church service at St John's Presbyterian Church and visited Whakarewarewa.
The couple returned to Rotorua for short visits in 1974 and 1977.
They came separately in 1995, with the Queen visiting the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute and Whakarewarewa.
She also visited Taupō on her Golden Jubilee tour in 2002, staying at Huka Lodge and attending a church service.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh watch children dive for coins from the bridge at Whakarewarewa during the Royal Tour of New Zealand 1953-54.
The Queen's funeral is expected to take place within 10-12 days and be attended by state officials from all over the world.
After the service, the coffin will be taken to Windsor Castle and then finally to St George's Chapel, where she will likely be laid to rest next to her father, King George VI.
Queen Elizabeth's death leads to Prince Charles ascending to the throne.
He expected to take the name King Charles III. His wife, Camilla, will be known as Queen Consort.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor came to the throne at the age of 25, upon the death of her father.
She was the first reigning monarch to come to New Zealand and made 10 visits in total, favouring the brightly coloured outfits she chose for all her public duties.
The Queen had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.
In April 2021, she lost her husband, at the age of 99.
