Archival reporting from The Fiji Times confirms that Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother arrived in Fiji on the morning of March 22, 1966, stepping from the Qantas V-jet City of Adelaide into bright sunlight and a vividly coloured ceremonial welcome at Nadi Airport. The royal airliner touched down promptly at 9:30am, and at the foot of the gangway the Queen Mother was greeted by the Governor, Sir Derek Jakeway, and Lady Jakeway.
A guard of honour mounted by the Fiji Infantry Regiment and the Fiji Police Band formed the ceremonial foreground of the arrival. The newspaper described “bright scarlet tunics and white sulus” of the guard set against the “blue and white of the Fiji Police Band,” a display the paper said “set the keynote with a display of military precision.” Behind the formal party a large crowd stood orderly and restrained; reportage at the time emphasised that the welcome reflected Fijian custom, with the gathering almost silent out of respect for a visiting high chief — “the mother of the Sovereign is a very high chief,” The Fiji Times noted.
The account records several intimate details of the Queen Mother’s appearance and the presentation that followed. She wore a dress of jade and mauve printed gauze, paired with a jade tulle hat trimmed with mauve ostrich feathers and long white gloves. Her jewellery included a pearl necklace offset by a diamond brooch and matching earrings; she carried a buff parasol and a white handbag. After the initial greetings, the Governor’s ADC, Lieutenant I. Duthie, was formally presented to her Majesty.
A ceremonial highlight came when the daughter of the Tui Vuda, Varanisese Tavaiqia, presented a bouquet to the Queen Mother. Varanisese, described as wearing a Fijian costume with a blouse of white masi fringed by fine fern and red ginger, carried a spray composed of stephanotis, Cecil Brunner roses and pink anthuriums with a small orchid at the centre. The floral tribute and the traditional dress underlined the blending of European royal pageantry with Fijian ceremonial custom on the day.
This contemporary recounting from 1966 provides a detailed snapshot of the reception arrangements and the cultural deference paid to the Queen Mother during her visit. The scene at Nadi Airport combined formal military protocol, the visual colour of uniforms and local dress, and a restrained public response that organisers and observers at the time said was “entirely in keeping with Fiji’s traditions.”
The archival report stands as a fresh reminder of the pageantry that accompanied royal visits in the mid-20th century Pacific and preserves specific moments — the precise landing time, the aircraft type, the garments and jewellery worn by the Queen Mother, and the composition of the presenting bouquet — that might otherwise have been lost to broader summaries of the tour.
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