Queen Elizabeth’s moments in Asia: dinner with Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew, being ‘chased’ in Malaysia, meeting ‘royal friend’ Thai King Bhumibol
- The late queen made several trips to Commonwealth states, including former colonies like Singapore, Malaysia and India, and was also the first royal to visit China
- In Bangkok, she shared that Queen Victoria had been pen pals with Thailand’s King Rama IV, Mongkut; while her 1975 trip to Hong Kong was so successful that it later inspired the building of a sports stadium
The richest queen in the world, she was also the second-longest reigning monarch, after French King Louis XIV; he ruled for more than 72 years before he died in 1715.
As head of the Commonwealth – a bloc of 56 states mostly made up of former colonies including Singapore, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka – Elizabeth’s face, from child to woman, mother to great-grandmother, is familiar to billions. She is also “seen” daily on the coinage of more than 30 different countries.
While her time as monarch took in the decolonisation of many societies, Elizabeth often charmed local residents during her visits, clocking up more than 260 official trips to some 117 countries.
Some governments went to the extent of renaming places and streets to commemorate her visits. Here are some highlights of her visits to Asia.
‘I’ve watched Singapore with admiration’
Britain’s rule of Singapore ended in 1963 when the island entered into a union with neighbouring Malaysia before becoming independent two years later. But some locals retained a special affection for Queen Elizabeth and other royals.