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Symbol of stability: SL leaders join the world in remembering the Queen
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Snapshots from a Royal visit in 1954: Top left, at the Magul Maduwa in Kandy, above left, Nuwara Eliya Victoria Park and right, at the Dalada Maligawa, Kandy
By Sandun Jayawardana
President Ranil Wickremesinghe led the tributes to the Queen. “I am saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was a symbol of stability and endurance, and she will be greatly missed. My heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the UK and the Commonwealth,” Mr Wickremesinghe wrote on Twitter.
On the President instructions, Sri Lanka has declared September 19 as a Day of National Mourning in view of the Queen’s passing. The President issued the directive to the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs on Friday (9). Accordingly, the national flag will be flown at half-mast all government buildings until September 19.
A condolence book has been opened at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Colombo. The book will also be opened to the public to sign in the coming days.
Meanwhile, other political leaders have also joined in condoling over the Queen’s death and paying tribute to her.
“On Behalf of the People of Sri Lanka and the Main Opposition Alliance in Parliament, I offer my deepest condolences to the Royal Family & people of the UK who are mourning the passing of the definitive Monarch in modern history,” Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa tweeted. Mr Premadasa descibed the late Queen as “A Symbol of Stability; the Personification of Duty.”
“So deeply shocked to hear about the loss of the Head of the Commonwealth Nations and longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” former President Maithripala Sirisena said on Facebook. Mr Sirisena offered his heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the UK and Commonwealth.
On Friday, Parliament observed two minutes’ silence in her honour, with both the government and opposition expressing condolence over her passing.
At the Victoria Reservior, which the Queen visited in 1981 to witness its construction, the national flag flew at half-mast while a white flag fluttered in the breeze.
Victoria Reservoir: The National flag flies at half-mast alongside a white flag in honour of Queen Elizabeth II who visited the dam in 1981. Pic by J.A. L. Jasinghe
Britain’s longest reigning monarch visited Sri Lanka twice during her 70-year reign; first in 1954 and then in 1981. The first visit, where she was accompanied by her husband Prince Philip (The Duke of Edinburgh), lasted 10 days and included a royal procession through Colombo where she opened the first session of the second Parliament of Ceylon. The Queen and Prince Philip also visited Kandy, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Nuwara Eliya.
On her visit to Nuwara Eliya, the Queen had planted a tree at Victoria Park. The plant however, had been stolen that night. Fearing that discovery of the theft would embarrass the Queen, a group of Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council members had planted a similar tree at the same spot on the advice of then Mayor K. Wijayarathnasinham.
The incident was retold by another former Mayor, Bunty Pelpola, who had been present at the time. This tree too however, no longer stands on the spot. Nevertheless, a tree planted by Prince Philip on the occasion can still be found in the park.
Additional reporting by Shelton Hettiarachchi
The Queen’s picture that opened the doors for him  A Royal wave from the balcony of the British Council Colombo in 1981 For photographer Prasanna Hennayake, covering Queen Elizabeth II’s second visit to Sri Lanka in 1981 changed his life. He had only been on the staff of a major newspaper group for one year when he was chosen as one of two photographers to cover the Royal visit. “They had initially chosen our photo editor for the assignment but both the chairman and the newspaper’s editor thought that they should send an extra photographer for the coverage given the visit’s significance,” he recounted. This was the time when colour photography was just making it to newspapers. Mr Hennayake was assigned to take black and white photographs while the photo editor was given the task of taking colour photographs. However, Mr Hennayake was given one colour film with instructions to snap any good photos should the opportunity present itself. He ended up following the Queen and her entourage as they visited places such as the Colombo Municipal Council, ancient ruins in Anuradhapura and the Victoria Reservoir. On the day prior to her departure, the Queen visited the British Council. “She was up on the building’s balcony and there was a large crowd that had assembled outside who were waving at her. The Queen then waved back. It was reminiscent of what she did from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. I was right in front when it happened and used the colour film to snap a photograph,” Mr Hennayake recalled. The following day, this photograph appeared as the main photograph of all newspapers in the group. The headline read, “Goodbye, Queen Elizabeth.” Not long after the photograph was published, Mr Hennayake was informed at office that someone was on the phone asking for him. It turned out to be business magnate Upali Wijewardene, who had only recently started his own newspaper group. “He asked me how much I was being paid and I told him I earned Rs. 400. He said he will pay me Rs. 2400 if I joined his group. I was 23 years at the time, newly married and with a baby on the way. There was no way I could say no.” Mr Hennayake would go on to become Sri Lanka’s first photographer for Reuters. | |
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