Church decorations in Vulture Street, South Brisbane for the royal visit in 1954

The House of Windsor is the royal house of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. Founded by Ernest Anton, the sixth duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, it is the royal house of several European monarchies, and branches currently reign in Belgium through the descendants of Leopold I, and in the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms through the descendants of Prince Albert. It succeeded the House of Hanover as monarchs in the British Empire following the death of Queen Victoria. The name was changed from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor in 1917 because of anti-German sentiment in the British Empire during World War I. Windsors were originally a branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha that have provided five British monarchs to date, including four kings and the present queen, Elizabeth II. The name had a long association with the monarchy in Britain.

On 3 February 1954 the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II stepped ashore in Sydney, becoming the first reigning monarch to visit Australia. Australians turned out in their millions to catch a glimpse of the young Queen. She visited Australia for two months, keeping up a gruelling schedule and it is estimated that almost three-quarters of the Australian population saw the Queen at least once during the visit. From 9 - 18th March she visited Queensland and travelled to Brisbane, Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton. This set of photographs has been curated by Margaret Warren, Coordinator Discovery Services at the State Library of Queensland in celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.