We awoke in Melbourne on the morning of Friday 9th September saddened to hear of the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, aged 96.
The Queen demonstrated extraordinary dedication and commitment to duty throughout her Reign and did so with a graceful strength and admirable determination.
She reigned throughout decades of change, from the dark post-war years, through to the new horizons of the 21st century, including major political changes such as The Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, and the decolonisation of Africa and other Commonwealth countries. Queen Elizabeth consulted with 16 Prime Ministers of Australia and was the first reigning Monarch to visit Australia. She visited Melbourne 11 times, including opening the Royal Children's Hospital and our Commonwealth Games.
Rotary International President Jennifer Jones acknowledged the Queen’s life of service with the following:
“It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whose dedication to humanitarian causes and unwavering commitment to peace and the environment deeply inspired Rotary members around the world, especially those in the Commonwealth countries. The queen was a supporter of Rotary's polio eradication and humanitarian missions. She received the Rotary International Award of Honour, the organization's highest recognition, in December 2013 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of her coronation. Her late husband, Prince Philip, was an honorary member of the Rotary clubs of Kings Lynn, Windsor & Eton, and Windsor St. George, England; and Edinburgh, Scotland.”
Last Monday 12th September, at the invitation of the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC (an honorary member of our club), I attended the Proclamation Ceremony for King Charles III at Government House, representing the Rotary Club of Melbourne. It was a special and historic occasion, and an honour for Rotary to be represented amonst the state’s leading civic, religious and community leaders. I had great pleasure in seeing other members and honorary members of our club in attendance, including past Governor General of Australia Peter Hollingworth, past Governor of Victoria David de Krester, and past Chief Scientist of Australia Alan Finkel.
Our new King is no stranger to Rotary. His Royal Highness is an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Banchory-Ternan, D1010 UK. In June this year, in recognition of his longstanding focus on nature-based solutions to address the climate crisis, Rotary President 2021-22 Shekhar Mehta presented then HRH Prince Charles with its highest honour: The Rotary Award of Honour at a private audience during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, Rwanda. Mehta expressed appreciation for the dedication of His Royal Highness toward sustainability and biodiversity and noted Rotary’s shared commitment to protecting the environment.
This Wednesday at our club’s lunch meeting, I have invited Peter Hollingworth to start the meeting with a personal reflection of the late Queen Elizabeth II. We will also add to our Acknowledgment of Country and usual toasts to Australia and Rotary International, for this week only, a Loyal Toast.
We share our condolences to the Royal Family and His Majesty King Charles III at this sad time.
As I wrote on behalf of the Rotary Club of Melbourne in the official condolence book at Government House….
“Thank you for a lifetime of Service Above Self”.
Yours in Rotary,
President Adrian
