This morning at Wagga Wagga two news items dominate the newsagencies’ headlines the death of the Queen of Commonwealth and the metaphorical death of the former king of Wagga Wagga, Wayne Carey
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.
She died peacefully on Thursday afternoon at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer.
The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.
Her son King Charles III said the death of his beloved mother was a "moment of great sadness" for him and his family and that her loss would be "deeply felt" around the world.
He said: "We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.
"I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world."
During the coming period of mourning, he said he and his family would be "comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held".
The King and his wife, Camilla, now Queen Consort, will return to London on Friday, Buckingham Palace said. He is expected to address the nation on Friday.
Senior royals had gathered at Balmoral after the Queen's doctors became concerned about her health earlier in the day.
Queen Elizabeth II dies 'peacefully at Balmoral' aged 96, Charles becomes King
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
Queen Elizabeth II Has Passed Away.
Related (From Ed): “[P]lanning for Prince Charles’s coronation, nicknamed ‘Operation Golden Orb,’ will begin. The day will take place in Westminster Abbey in London, the traditional spot for coronations for the past 900 years. But it is likely that there will be a period of twelve months before he is officially sworn in. Why? Because that is seen as a suitable period for mourning, and because the ceremony is so extensive it takes about that time to plan.”
Unthank’s friend, Stephen, added: “I think there are bigger things on people’s minds.
“We’ve come out of a pandemic, real estate prices are through the roof, agriculture is gangbusters. People aren’t worried about small fish anymore.”
The news that former footballer Wayne Carey was booked to give a “nothing is off limits interview” at a function in his hometown had the cream of Melbourne’s journalists hot-footing it to Wagga Wagga.
Hours before Carey was due to speak at the RSL club on Thursday evening – his first appearance since he dropped a bag of powdered substance at Perth’s Crown casino– the NSW city was swarming with reporters.
But among the people of Wagga, some of whom consider Carey a hero and others a “goose” with a taste for scandal and bad decisions, the mood ahead of his impending arrival was lukewarm at best, indifferent at worst.
“I didn’t even know to be honest, and I couldn’t care,” Harry Unthank said about the sporting great’s appearance.
Duck or ‘goose’: On streets of Wagga, local hero Carey has lost his lustre
JOHN O’SULLIVAN: Boris Gives an Energized Curtain Speech. “It didn’t sound like the speech of a man who was bowing out of public life.
