The Royal Tour of New Zealand, 1953-54

New Zealand National Film Unit presents The Royal Tour of New Zealand 1953- 54 On 23 December 1953 Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip arrived in Auckland aboard the 'Gothic' to begin their first ever tour of New Zealand. The tour lasted nearly six weeks and encompassed almost the entire country. The tour was organised in recognition of the service of New Zealand during World War Two as well as to strengthen Commonwealth relationships, and it was the first time a reigning British monarch had visited New Zealand. It is estimated that three in four New Zealanders participated in the tour in some way, and the popularity of the recently-crowned Queen demonstrated the close ties New Zealanders still held to Britain. This 25 minute film produced by the National Film Unit shows the progress of the tour throughout the country, from their arrival at Auckland to their departure from Bluff. The National Film Unit was established to publicise New Zealand's participation and achievements during the Second World War. After 1945 the Film Unit expanded from producing weekly newsreels to making documentaries and films to the order of Government Departments. During its existence the Film Unit produced films for national organisations as well as many films on its own initiative. The private film industry in New Zealand relied heavily on the National Film Unit's extensive film processing facilities. Archives reference: AAOJ W5034 734/D7006 With thanks to NZHistory.net: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/r... These items are being presented by Archives New Zealand across our Twitter, Flickr and Youtube pages to coincide with the Royal Visit of 2014. Throughout the tour we will be showcasing records relating to previous Royal tours, dating back to early as 1869. For further updates on historic Royal tours follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ArchivesNZ Material supplied by Archives New Zealand Highlights of the Royal Tour of New Zealand, from the arrival at Auckland, in the north, to the departure from Bluff, in the extreme south. DV file of BetaSP telecine of 35mm film.