founded the district, ensuring further progress. In his reply, the Duke of Gloucester said that his visit found the city taking up more tasks of peace with undiminished confidence in the future of Central Queensland, and that Rockhampton was barely past the threshold of development and expansion. He also said he was impressed with Rockhampton's hope that, when immigration was resumed, that every effort would be made to attract more people from the Mother Country. The Duke also said he realised that the people of Central Queensland regard the possibilities not as riches waiting to be picked up, but as a challenge to men and women with stout hearts and strong hands. While at City Hall, the Duke of Gloucester signed the Visitor's Book in the mayor's office that had been instituted in 1909, simply signing the book "12.6.46 Henry". 1954: Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Rockhampton on 15 March 1954. Plans for another royal visit to Rockhampton commenced in October 1951 when Minister in Charge of the Royal Visit Eric Harrison confirmed Rockhampton was included as a city that Princess Elizabeth and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh would visit during their royal tour of Australia in 1952. In November 1951, the general committee of the Rockhampton Agricultural Society appointed a sub-committee to delegate with Rockhampton City Council on any matter regarding the royal visit. When the sub-committee was appointed, it was decided a special rodeo would be held on 26 and 28 April the following year to commemorate Princess Elizabeth's visit to Rockhampton. The state director of the proposed 1952 royal tour arrived in Rockhampton in December 1951 to make arrangements for Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh's visit. It was announced that they were expected to arrive in the city on 28 April 1952 where they would meet with Rockhampton mayor Henry Jeffries and Queensland Premier Ned Hanlon, before proceeding to City Hall. A visit to Rockhampton General Hospital was also scheduled. However, the death of Elizabeth's father, King George VI on 6 February 1952 resulted in the tour of Australia being postponed. It was eventually rescheduled and Queen Elizabeth II intended to make her way to Australia in 1954 with her husband, but this time as Queen instead of Princess, after she became the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth of