Te Awamutu unveiling moving for royal photographer

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh on the podium in front of the Te Awamutu Post Office in 1954 with Te Awamutu Mayor Clifton Frank Jacobs and his wife Veda.

After following and photographing members of the royal family for almost 40 years I think I can safely say that I am well experienced at attending plaque unveilings. Yet, on Sunday, I found myself at an exceptional one.

It was a unique “royal” event for me, and one which I was delighted to be asked to cover.

Unfortunately, due to a delivery issue, the cast bronze plaque did not arrive in time for the ceremony, and the replica, unveiled on the wall of the old Post Office building, will be replaced as soon as possible.

Crowds gathered in Te Awamutu's main street for the royal visit in 1954.

Nonetheless, the plaque stands as a beautiful tribute to both our late Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and commemorates their visit to Te Awamutu in 1954, which was the aim of Luke East when he began campaigning for it, believing that such an important part of the town’s history should be marked accordingly.

The design was approved by the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee, and her subsequent death makes it all the more poignant.

Waipa Mayor Susan O'Regan and plaque project organiser Luke Dixon unveil the plaque to commemorate the visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1954. Photo / Julia McCarthy-Fox

I found it extremely moving to listen to the words spoken by Mayor Susan O’Regan, on a hot sunny afternoon, it was reminiscent of so many plaque unveilings by Her Majesty herself, and it made me both smile and cry.