AS Australians woke up to the news on Friday morning that Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II had passed away at her home in Balmoral, Scotland, locals who had the opportunity to be in Her Majesty’s presence began sharing their memories of the longest-serving monarch in British history.

The BBC reported Her Majesty’s death and said she died peacefully on Thursday afternoon at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer, after reigning for 70 years.

The Queen visited Hamilton with her husband and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip, on February 26, 1954.

Hamilton was one of two southern regional towns to receive the Royals as part of a national tour – the other being Mount Gambier, SA.

In a statement, 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.

“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother,” he said.

“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

Hamilton’s Lesley Hobbs was a nurse in training at the Hamilton Base Hospital when The Queen visited and was charged with assisting inpatients onto the front lawn to wave to Her Majesty and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as they drove past.

Mrs Hobbs said it was a “very special time” when the Royal family visited Hamilton.

“Everyone was waving and cheering,” she said.

“I think she was wearing a bluey aqua colour and she just looked like an opal.”

Further details and more tributes to Her Majesty will be published next week.