Queen arrives for Australian tour

Added by Monique Robinson on October 19, 2011

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip arrived in Canberra, Australia on Wednesday for her 16th official visit to Australia.

The royal couple’s visit will center around her opening the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on October 28 in Perth, where she will also meet with Prime Minister Gillard. The tour features a public event each day including meeting people affected by the summer’s floods and cyclone in Brisbane, and opening the new Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

Her Majesty’s arrival ceremony included a 21-gun royal salute, inspection of the Federation Guard band which played both the British and Australian national anthems, and met personally with members of the official welcoming party. The Queen was presented with Aboriginal artwork and a bouquet of Australian wild flowers by Margaret Cunningham, who presented flowers to the Queen during her first visit to Australia in 1954.

The royal visit includes five days in Canberra, one day in Brisbane, one day in Melbourne, and three days in Perth; the royal couple departs Australia on October 29.