Sydney - Middle East Times Int’l:  Excerpt of a speech by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a national memorial service for Britain Queen Elizabeth II held in Canberra on a national day of mourning, September 22, 2022. 

We gather today - around our nation - to offer Australia’s thanks for an extraordinary life dedicated to service, faith, country and Commonwealth. 

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-serving monarch in the history of a centuries-old institution. 

Her reign spanned more than half the life of our modern Federation. 

And we proudly honour her memory today on a continent home to the world’s oldest continuous culture - paying respect to traditional owners and elders past, present and emerging. 

This national day of mourning salutes a sovereign who served our whole country – and sought to know it too. Through 16 tours across seven decades, Queen Elizabeth visited and connected with every part of Australia.  

With Prince Philip at her side, The Queen embraced the scale of this vast nation: the breadth of our continent, the depth of our people’s hearts, the warmth of our humour.

We can see something of this understanding in the organisations Her Majesty served as patron: 

From the RSL, a social focal point for so many towns and suburbs, to the Royal Flying Doctors Service, whose fortitude The Queen spoke of with such admiration. 

It is fitting that today’s commemorations in our national capital will be mirrored in communities across our country, as Australians express their own affection and respect - and celebrate The Queen’s part in their stories. 

Through it all – in the good times and in days of trial and hardship - the Queen stood with us.  

Always among the first to extend her sympathies to people and communities afflicted by tragedy or disaster. 

Always taking pride in Australia’s progress, which The Queen observed with the thoughtful perspective of decades in public life. 

In all things - including our advance to Reconciliation - the Queen always wanted the best for our country. 

And so, amidst the noise and turbulence of the decades, the Queen endured – and so did Australia’s affection for her, our sense of connection to her. 

Indeed, I believe those two truths run together: our affection held strong, because she did. 

For so many, for so long, The Queen was a rare and reassuring constant in a world of change. 

Monuments to The Queen dot our landscape, the name of Elizabeth lives in nearly every town. 

Perhaps the greatest tribute we can offer her family and her memory is not a marble statue or a metal plaque. It is a renewed embrace of service to community. 

This would be a most fitting memorial, to a magnificent life.