But it was not until she moved to the other side of the world that the staunch monarchist had occasion to meet the royal couple.

"I've met the Queen and the Prince a couple of times. When they came to Sydney, the Queen stopped to speak to me," the 93-year-old said.

"She asked me where I came from. She would have recognised my accent which was stronger in those days. I come from Hillsborough County Down in Northern Ireland, where government house is. That's where they would always stay. We had that in common, she knows it very well."

Having lived in Junee since immigrating to Australia in April 1954, Mrs Higginson has been a life-long supporter of the royal family.

At the news of the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh's passing last week, Mrs Higginson raised a flag to half-mast above her property.

"I feel sad for the Queen but she'll manage I'm quite sure of that," Mrs Higginson said.

"I thought I'd send her a card, I know there's a condolence book, but I thought I'd mail something to Buckingham Palace, which is of course not where she is right now. But I hope she'll get it."

The royal couple made numerous visits to Wagga and the Riverina over the years.

When the couple visited on February 13, 1954, The Daily Advertiser declared it "Wagga's greatest day", and devoted 10 pages of its special Sunday edition to documenting the momentous occasion.

"For 145 thrill-packed minutes, the centre of the Riverina became the heart of the might British Commonwealth," the front page proclaims.

Between 80,000 to 100,000 people turned out for their visit and while in the city, they attended a boomerang throwing demonstration at the showground.

The paper of the day indicates it was the first time the Duke and Queen had seen the weapons in action, to which the Duke responded: "Good heavens! The only thing you could kill doing that would be yourself."

In March 2000, the Duke caused something of a stir when he visited Charles Sturt University's cheese labs and failed to wear the obligatory hairnet and hygiene booties.

Though his tour of the premise only lasted about four minutes, his lack of protective wear forced the condemnation of the university's experimental lemon ricotta to the waste chute.

The Duke's antics, though always memorable, will now be relegated to a closed chapter of history. One that Mrs Higginson and other royalists will continue to look upon with keen fascination and fondness.

"He was a wonderful man. He led a long and wonderful life with a long love story," she said. "He loved and looked after my Queen."

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