Parr’s film opens with excerpt from an early ‘50s commercial documentary, Peak Film Productions’ ‘Her Majesty’s State Coach.’ Intertitles and both close up and long views of the Royal State Coach on parade in London.
Title ‘PG Productions present’ , ‘Incidents from the Royal Tour, Wellington, 1954.’ Picture of Queen Elizabeth. Intertitle ‘The Queen and Duke at the Cenotaph.’ Crowd watching marching band in street. Royal motorcade drives past. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip lay a wreath at the cenotaph, then walk down steps through crowd. Officials greet the royal couple in front of cars. Clock tower. Royal couple drive through crowd in open car, motorcade drives through crowd. Views of officials including mayor and army officer. Queen walks alongside mayor. Close up view of Queen walking with mayor. Views of fireworks, reflection on water.
Intertitle ‘Basin Reserve, a wave to the old folk’. Royal car passes with Queen and Prince Philip in open back. [Views of children’s gathering, Athletic Park] Crowd of children wave to the Royals. Royal couple drive through crowd waving in jeep. Views at Parliament as guests arrive for opening of Special Session of Parliament and reception for Members of Parliament and wives. Large crowd gathered, dignitaries walk up steps of Parliament, brass band march in formation, army soldiers carrying weapons march. Flags flying on top of Parliament. Royal motorcade passes through crowd, Queen and Prince Philip in back of open car. Crowd views. Wellington Harbour over roofs of buildings. Large ship in harbour [HMNZS Black Prince].
Intertitle ‘Silverstream Hospital and then the races.’ Scenes of Queen visiting Silverstream Hospital and attending Trentham Races. Views of Silverstream Hospital grounds with patients lying outside on beds, nurses lined up on footpath, motorcade drives past, Queen and Prince Philip in open car. Close up shots of patients in beds in hats. Close ups of crowd members. Group of nurses. Queen and dignitaries enter podium at races at Trentham. Close up views of Queen chatting. Views of horse races, large crowd. Horses led around enclosure. Queen and dignitaries walk through crowd. Older couple pose. Close up of various plants in garden, various flowers including fuchsia flowers. Rows of plants in pots. [Wellington Botanical Gardens] Man standing in gardens.
Night time views of buildings lit up for royal visit. [Wellington] Lights outlining royal insignia on buildings. ‘Elizabeth’ name lights up with letters appearing one by one. Lights around Kings Cinema, Courtenay Place, film ‘The Robe (1953)’ is advertised. SS Gothic at wharf. Daytime views of Wellington with various decorations for Royal visit including front of Old Parliament, trams, 1950s cars and trucks in streets. Decorated buildings and flags in street in Lambton Quay including Public Trust building and former State Insurance building. Train decorated with royal insignia arriving in at Wellington train station. End title ‘Farewell Elizabeth and Philip.’