Queen Elizabeth was a ‘reassuring presence in a world of change’

Elizabeth II has been remembered as a constant, reassuring presence in many people’s lives who was able to adapt during her reign while remaining a servant of the people.

Governor-General David Hurley and wife Linda precede Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon in the Great Hall at Parliament House. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Elizabeth II has been remembered as a constant, reassuring presence in many people’s lives who was able to adapt during her reign while remaining a servant of the people.

The nation’s political and military elite filed in to the Great Hall in Parliament House on Thursday along with diplomats, top judges, religious leaders, schoolchildren, scouts, volunteers and everyday Australians to reflect on the Queen’s life at the national memorial.

Former prime ministers Paul Keating, John Howard and Scott Morrison sat in the third row, with premiers and chief ministers in the row behind them.

Governor-General David Hurley, who with Anthony Albanese and partners Linda Hurley and Jodie Haydon attended the Queen’s state funeral on Monday, said there had been an appreciation for the stability and comfort her 70-year reign provided.

“In an era where trust in institutions is declining, Queen Elizabeth evolved, adapted and changed within her role as monarch but ultimately remained true to the commitment she made all those years ago: ‘Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust’,” he said.

Indigenous musicians and dancers in the Great Hall. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Still trying to comprehend what he witnessed in London over the past week, General Hurley said two moments stood out: an early morning walk through Green Park where thousands of tributes had been left for the Queen, and when her casket was lowered into the royal vault at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

“I hadn’t thought I would be emotional, but I was. She was my Queen,” he said. “She was a constant, reassuring presence in so many people’s lives. In the next moment, God Save the King was sung with gusto.”

The Prime Minister said Australians’ affection for the Queen held strong because she did. Her lifelong values of love of family, loyalty to country, service to community, kindness to those in need and respect for everyone she met were timeless. “For so many, for so long, the Queen was a rare and reassuring constant in a world of change,” Mr Albanese said.

“In an age of performative cel­ebrity, the Queen embodied quiet dignity. She stood for things we loved and admired most about our parents and grandparents – their decency, their wisdom, their patience, their work ethic, their instinct for service above self.

“And as the traditions and formalities of the past two weeks come to a close, I think something all of us can do to meaningfully honour the life of Queen Elizabeth in an ongoing way is take inspiration from her example.”

Paul Keating and Daniel Andrews. Picture: AAP

A procession by three Indigenous singers and dancers from the Wiradjuri Echoes group opened the service, and General Hurley acknowledged that many First Nations Australians’ response to the Queen’s death had been “shaped by our colonial history and broader reconciliation journey”.

There was a minute’s silence and a floral tribute, with guests invited to place a sprig of wattle on two wreaths after listening to performances by the Australian Girls Choir and Anthony Callea.

John Howard and his wife, Janette. Picture: AAP

Peter Dutton said Australia’s longest-serving monarch “regenerated the monarchy, leaving an institution fortified for the future”. “We gravitated to her gentle demeanour. We were drawn to her radiant smile. And we were captivated by her wise words,” the Opposition Leader said.

It was the Queen’s words – played back on screens overlooking the Great Hall – that left the biggest mark of all.

When she opened Parliament House in 1988, 61 years to the day after her father opened Old Parliament House, the Queen said: “Parliamentary democracy is a compelling ideal but it is a fragile institution. It cannot be imposed and it is too easily destroyed.”