Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 1926-2022

Today the University acknowledges the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Anton Middelberg, has shared a statement on behalf of the University with staff, which you can read here.

For many of us, the Queen’s 70 year and seven month reign has spanned more than our lifetimes. In 1952, when the Queen assumed the throne, the Vice-Chancellor was Albert Rowe CBE, a Physicist and WWII radar pioneer. He was the University’s first full-time Vice-Chancellor and held the position until his retirement in 1958. Our Chancellor was Sir Thomas John Mellis Napier KCMG KStJ QC.

Her Majesty’s reign spanned a total of thirteen Vice Chancellors and twelve Chancellors. During this time, the University helped build and launch Australia's first satellite, and educated Australia's first NASA Astronaut. We also ran the first pharmaceutical experiment on the International Space Station, created the Australian Rover Challenge, and led the way in Space Law.

We appointed our first female Chancellor (Dame Roma Mitchell) and Vice-Chancellor (Mary O’Kane). Our campus transformed, with the construction of Union House, Napier, Hub Central, Braggs Building and other infrastructure. The University established Wirltu Yarlu and Rebecca Richards, anthropology graduate, became Australia’s first Indigenous Rhodes Scholar.

The Queen was the first Monarch to visit Australia, and in 1954 the University was honoured to host Her Majesty at gatherings in Bonython Hall and on the University of Adelaide Oval.

Her Majesty will be remembered for her sense of duty and her commitment to service. The University community extends our deepest condolences to Her Majesty’s family as they mourn this significant loss.