CELEBRATION OF THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER

4 August 2000

The Governor-General and Lady Deane will today host a Reception at Yarralumla in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in celebration of her 100th birthday. Among the 250 guests will be High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries; representatives of a broad range of community organisations; a representative of the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps of which the Queen Mother is Colonel-in-Chief; some individuals associated with the very early days of Old Parliament House which was opened in 1927 by the then Duke and Duchess of York and members of the Royal Victorian Order of which the Queen Mother is the Grand Master.

The Queen Mother visited Yarralumla on each of her three visits to Australia in 1927, 1958 and 1966. To mark the occasion the tree planted by Her Majesty in 1927, an Atlas Cedar, has been decorated with lights.

The formalities at the Reception will be brief. Sir William will propose a toast to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother which will be followed by the singing of Happy Birthday and the distribution of birthday cake.