The Rt Hon Ian Sinclair AC, who has been living on Dumaresq Island near Taree for the past 20 years, is reflecting deeply this day, September 9, 2022 as he woke up to hear Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had died, and remembering his personal encounters having met her a number of times.
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"I think we're all remembering so much and really honoring the thought of somebody who has contributed so much to the well being of the world for the last 70 years," Mr Sinclair said.
"And I think it is with great regret and sorrow that we look on what has been the life of a remarkable woman."
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Mr Sinclair is the last surviving Australian who was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, as an Australian parliamentary minister, earning the right to be use the honorific 'The Right Honourable'.
The Privy Council exists to advise the monarch 'on the exercise of the Royal Prerogative'. Mr Sinclair was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1977, and it is a position that is held for life.
Mr Sinclair is also the last of the ministers left of the Menzies government. He was the Member for New England from 1963 to 1998, Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1998 leader of the National Party from 1984 to 1989 and deputy leader from 1971 to 1984, and held six ministries, one of which was Minister for Defence in 1982/83.
It was as Minister for Defence that Mr Sinclair travelled to the UK to hand back the HMS Invincible to the Queen, as the Britain had requested its return to use in the Falklands War.
She was a very remarkable monarch in my view.
- The Rt Hon Ian Sinclair AC
He also met Queen Elizabeth on various other occasions - often enough that he can't remember the exact number of times.
"I was very lucky. I saw her on a number of occasions," Mr Sinclair said.
"She was very interesting, and interested in what you had to say, which is quite remarkable considering the position she held. And she also approached things with a frankness and honesty, and obviously had a background you had to respect.
"I think that people remember in the public presence of hers, how she seemed to always be very knowledgeable in what she was doing and of people with whom she met. I think that's something that you had to admire in somebody in that position.
"So she was a very remarkable monarch in my view."
As a Privy Counsellor, Mr Sinclair is also a member of the Accession Council, which traditionally assembles at St James Palace in London 24 hours after the monarch dies to oversee the formalities of the proclamation of the new monarch.
Because of the timing of Her Majesty's death, the Accession Council will not be meeting until Saturday, September 10, when King Charles III will be formally proclaimed the monarch.
However, as there are now more than 700 Privy Counsellors there are restrictions in place and Mr Sinclair will not be attending.
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Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times since 2014. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times since 2014. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings.
