Queen completes Australia visit

The biggest crowd of the Golden Jubilee tour braved a rainy day in Brisbane, Queensland, to see the monarch and Prince Philip.

They were warmly received in the city centre and then attended a service at St John's Cathedral.

And their departure was given an honour guard and 21-gun salute.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are due back in Britain on Monday morning, having visited Jamaica, New Zealand and Australia in their Commonwealth tour.

Speaking to the crowds at the People's Reception in Roma Street Parkland, the Queen said: "On this last day of my visit to Australia, I would like to express my gratitude to you all for the warmth of the welcome Prince Philip and I have received at every stage.

"Although the visit has been brief, it has provided both Prince Philip and I with the chance to witness at first hand the way in which Australia is facing up to the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

"Once again we have both been struck by both the diversity as well as the dynamism of Australia, and the vigour and humour of Australians everywhere.

War veteran

"We leave with our respect for this great country strengthened and renewed. Our good wishes go to you all."

The capital of Queensland, named after Queen Victoria, is well known for its monarchists in a country where many people are republicans.

The Queen and Prince Philip were greeted by the Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, who joked that divine intervention had momentarily stopped the rain.

Among those presented to the royal visitors was 104-year-old Ted Smout, a First World War veteran who holds the title, Great Queenslander.

Mr Smout met the royals in 1954, when he was in the army medical corps in Sydney.

After the reception, the Queen and Duke attended a Sunday church service at St John's Cathedral with the Archbishop of Brisbane, Phillip Aspinall.

Archbishop Aspinall is currently holding an inquiry into his diocese's handling of child sex abuse claims in the 1990s.

The current Australian Governor-General Peter Hollingworth was Brisbane's archbishop at the time and faces calls for his resignation.

But the ongoing row did not appear to significantly affect the royal visit.