Queen Elizabeth has been our sovereign for 70 years, and as a nation, New Zealand mourns the loss of our longestreigning
Sovereign.

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne just a few years after World War II. She championed the development of the Commonwealth—from a small group of 7 countries to a family of 56 nations spanning every continent of the world.
We are now a modern, thriving, dynamic nation. Through thick and thin, Queen Elizabeth II provided us with the stability and the strength that we needed.

Our Queen was the very spirit of New Zealand — and that spirit will endure. She has been our longest-ever reigning monarch. It is an extraordinary achievement to have presided with such dignity and grace for 70 years. Her life of service stretched beyond most of our living memories. In return, she was loved and admired by the people of New Zealand and all around the world. Her devotion to service and duty is an example to us all, even in her last days our Queen conducted official duties whilst visibly of ill health.

Throughout her life she has visited more than 100 countries and she has touched the lives of millions around the world. Indeed Queen Elizabeth II visited New Zealand on ten occasions, including Dannevirke and Woodville in our Tararua District, 1954.
In the difficult days ahead, we will come together with our friends, across the Commonwealth and the world, to celebrate her extraordinary lifetime of service.

It is a day of great loss, but Queen Elizabeth II leaves a great legacy. God save The Queen, long live The King.