On behalf of the people of South Australia, I wish to convey my sincere condolences to the Royal Family.
A family has lost a beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
The thoughts of South Australians are with the members of the Royal Family as they mourn such a significant loss.
For over seventy years Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II served the Commonwealth with an unfailing commitment and devotion to duty.
Her reign of 70 years and seven months was the longest of any monarch.
Her Majesty served South Australia dutifully, with dignity and through significant eras of social change.
Her Majesty has been served by 15 South Australian Premiers.
The Queen was the first ruling monarch of Australia to visit our shores and Her Majesty’s great fondness and interest in the welfare of South Australians was evident through her seven visits to our state during her reign.
Her Majesty’s first visit to South Australia was with the late Duke of Edinburgh in March 1954. Some 200,000 people lined the route from the Parafield Airport, where they were met by the Premier, Tom Playford at Government House.
Her last visit to South Australia was in February 2002.
As a sign of respect and to acknowledge the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, the South Australian Government will be supporting a number of observances.
These observances will provide a number of ways in which South Australians can choose to express condolences to the Royal Family for their loss and show their respect to Her Majesty.
Observances include flag protocols, the hanging of a hatchment for Queen Elizabeth II at the gates of Government House, a tribute site within the grounds of Government House, a State Church Service and condolence books located at Government House and the City of Playford.
A State Proclamation Ceremony, acknowledging the accession of His Majesty The King will also occur in the comings days. Further details regarding the ceremony will be released shortly.
More information regarding the South Australian Government observances will be released later today.
The Honourable Peter Malinauskas MP
Premier of South Australia