Warren Truss pays tribute of Queen Elizabeth II following monarch’s death

Warren Truss was just six when his family made a 160km trek along dirt roads for a glimpse at Australia’s new monarch. He never imagined their paths would cross many times later in life.

Warren Truss was six-years-old when his family embarked on a 160km trek across dirt roads to Toowoomba for what may have been a once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

He and his family stood about five blocks from the centre of city, all for the chance to glimpse the country’s new monarch Queen Elizabeth II only two years into her reign and on her first visit to Australia.

“We waited and waited and waited and then (she drove past and) it was all over in 10 seconds,” Mr Truss said.

It was one of the former Deputy Prime Minister’s “earliest memories”.

Little did the young Truss know in 1954 he would one day get the chance to meet the Queen several more times before her death on Friday at age 96.

Those meetings were in stark contrast to simply watching the monarch pass in an open top car.

In March 2006, he saw the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip off at Canberra Airport, prompting speculation he would be the “last person to farewell the Queen from the national cabinet”.

Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II, and former deputy Prime Minister and Wide Bay MP Warren Truss at Canberra in 2006. Mr Truss said it was speculated he would be the last national cabinet member to farewell the Queen, but her reign continued for almost two decades more.

Her reign however, endured for 16 years more.

“We were to meet again and she came back to Australia at least twice more,” Mr Truss said.

Of the Royal couple’s many visits, one in the wake of devastating floods which impacted Gympie and Maryborough stood out in Mr Truss’s mind.

“I can recall (Prince Philip) saying to me ‘well why do people live in places like that?’,” he said

Mr Truss then explain Maryborough’s history as a port city, and that of the Gympie gold rush once the mineral was found near the Mary River.

“They were keenly interested in those things and well-informed,” Mr Truss said.

Queen Elizabeth’s and the Duke of Edinburgh’s 1954 visit to Australia was among one of Mr Truss’s earliest memories, with his family making a 160km trek to Toowoomba for the chance to watch the monarch drive past.

Reflecting on the length of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign (70 years of the 121 since Australia’s Federation), Mr Truss, 73, mused “you’ve got to be as old as me to have had someone else (as monarch)”.

“She has been the head of state for the lifetime of most Australians.”

The Queen’s young ascension to the throne came about “due to traumatic circumstances”.

Her father, King George IV, died from a coronary thrombosis in 1952 at age 56.

Queen Elizabeth II died Friday aged 96, having reigned for 70 years. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Mr truss said King Charles III’s reign would be “totally different”, but he had been training for the role for a long time.

“Nearly all people are thinking about retirement (at age 73), but for him the job is just starting,” Mr Truss said.

The new King was not facing a small task either.

“He follows a head of the Commonwealth who was always seen to be perfect or near perfect,” Mr Truss said.

As for the controversies that had followed Charles III during his life, including infidelity, Mr Truss said there were “elements of his life that weren’t perfect, but everybody’s got something in their past”.

“I’m sure the people of the British Commonwealth will be watching his every success.”