the queen visit hong kong

Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best of Hong Kong for free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy Hong Kong without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Things to Do
• Food & Drink
• Shopping & Style
• Coca-Cola Foodmarks
• Restaurants
• Music & Nightlife
• Los Angeles

Get us in your inbox

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

Queen Elizabeth II: A look back at the Queen's visits to Hong Kong

In memory of Queen Elizabeth II, we take a look back at her visits in the city and the many venues named after the monarch

After a historic 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch, died at age 96 on September 8, 2022, in Scotland at Balmoral Castle. Her passing elevates her oldest son, Charles III, the oldest heir apparent in British history, to King. 

Leaders around the globe pay tribute to the life of the Queen, who was the Head of the Commonwealth that spans 56 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific. 

In Hong Kong, citizens saddened by the Queen’s passing flooded the British Consulate’s social media with messages of condolences and offered flowers outside the British Consulate. Though it has been 25 years since Britain handed over Hong Kong to China, a lot of British influences still exist in the city, which includes landmarks and venues named after the Queen. 

Hong Kong venues named after Queen Elizabeth II

From 1841 to 1997, Hong Kong was a British colony before the city was returned to China after over 150 years. During her reign, the Queen visited Hong Kong twice, first in May 1975, followed by another trip in October 1986. 

Her first visit to the city inspired the building of Queen Elizabeth Stadium, a sports facility on Morrison Hill in Wan Chai opened on August 27, 1980, by the longest-serving governor in Hong Kong's history, Governor Sir Murray MacLehose. 

Before she visited the city, two venues named after the monarch were already established in Hong Kong. The first was Queen Elizabeth School at Sai Yee Street in Mong Kok, which was conceived in 1953, the same year of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. The school was opened in 1954 as the first government co-educational Anglo-Chinese secondary school in the city.

The other venue is Queen Elizabeth Hospital, one of the largest acute general hospitals in the city, located at Gascoigne Road in Yau Ma Tei. On March 7, 1959, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, laid the foundation stone of the hospital during his first official visit in Hong Kong as the husband of Queen Elizabeth. The hospital opened on September 6, 1963, by then-Governor of Hong Kong, Robert Black.

The royal visit   

On her first trip to the city, the Queen and Prince Philip visited many locations during the four-day visit, such as Queen’s Pier, Hong Kong City Hall, Graham Street, Morse Park, Oi Man Estate in Ho Man Tin, Hung Hom station, the University of Hong Kong, the Kwai Chung container port, Tsuen Wan’s industrial areas, and the Happy Valley racecourse. They also enjoyed the city’s first firework display since the 1967 riots before leaving for Japan on the morning of May 7. 

Following her visit to China as the first British monarch to visit the country, The Queen paid a visit to Hong Kong in October 1986 aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. After arriving in the city, the Queen rode through Salisbury and Chatham Roads while greeting crowds before visiting Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Hong Kong Coliseum. She also visited The Cenotaph, Legislative Council Complex, HSBC Main Building, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Sha Tin racecourse, and Lung Hang Estate in Sha Tin.

Her last visit was two years after the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in 1984, which paved the way for the 1997 handover. Queen Elizabeth II visited many countries over her 70-year reign , and her last visit to Asia was in 2006, when she was hosted by President S.R. Nathan in Singapore.

Recommended stories: The Queen has died at the age of 96 Unusual things that will happen in London when the Queen dies

Follow us on  Youtube ,  Facebook , and  Instagram , and subscribe to our  newsletter  to get the latest news and updates on what's going on in the city.

• Tatum Ancheta Editor-in-Chief, Time Out Hong Kong
• Cherry Chan Staff Writer

Share the story

An email you’ll actually love

Discover Time Out original video

An email you'll actually love

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Sign up to our newsletter
• Advertising
• Express Advertising
• Time Out Market

Time Out products

• Time Out Worldwide

Time Out magazine

• Print edition
• Digital edition

In Hong Kong, tributes to Elizabeth seen as veiled jab at China

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Outside the British Consulate in Hong Kong this week, bouquets and handwritten tributes piled up as a long line of people waited in sweltering heat to pay their final respects to Queen Elizabeth II.

In the onetime British colony, the death of a monarch who served as a living link to Britain’s globe-spanning empire marked a complicated historical moment.

The colonial era that ended a quarter-century ago in Hong Kong was characterized by racism, injustice and corruption. But for many, Elizabeth’s death last week at 96 was also a reminder of the heavy Beijing hand that has supplanted British rule.

As the traditional Chinese mid-autumn Moon Festival was celebrated in Hong Kong and elsewhere, John Chang, 56, stood in line at the British Consulate for three hours. He penned a message of thanks to the queen, and brought green and white flowers, colors that he remembered the late monarch often wearing.

“We miss the queen so much, especially when we experienced China’s governance,” he said.

Chang, who is preparing to immigrate to Britain, said the tribute underscored his increasing dissatisfaction with Beijing’s rule. Despite colonial abuses, he recalls the years bracketing the handover as a time of freedom and prosperity.

It wasn’t until the waning years of British rule that greater democratic freedoms were granted to Hong Kongers. In the many decades prior, the colonial government had little tolerance for political dissent and invoked anti-sedition laws that resemble those that Beijing wields in the southern Chinese city today.

China assumed control of Hong Kong in 1997, under a “one country, two systems” arrangement meant to grant the city 50 years of economic and political autonomy. But in the past few years, the Chinese Communist Party has consolidated control and aggressively stamped out dissent, jailing hundreds of protesters, activists and journalists under a draconian national security law .

In July, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Hong Kong for the 25th anniversary of the territory’s handover, in a declaration of victory against the anti-Beijing protests that rocked the city in 2019.

As China’s Communist Party has clamped down on political dissent, any praise of Hong Kong’s colonial past has become potentially subversive. Earlier this year, Hong Kong authorities revised school textbooks to deny that the territory was ever a British colony, instead describing it as having been temporarily occupied by foreign forces.

In a sign of the subject’s sensitivity, Hong Kong actor and singer Law Kar-ying posted a video Thursday on China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo, apologizing after he praised the queen, in a now-deleted Instagram post, for making Hong Kong a “blessed land.”

One Beijing-backed newspaper accused anti-Chinese forces of fabricating fond memories of colonial rule. Ta Kung Pao, another pro-Beijing publication, said in a Tuesday commentary that paying condolences to the queen signaled a deep-rooted “colonial-loving mentality” and proved the need for “decolonization.”

But popular sentiment appears to defy such admonitions. In a Hong Kong shop specializing in British memorabilia, customers have increased around fivefold since the queen’s death, compared to the usual 100 or so a day, said proprietor Bryan Ong.

While he is accustomed to aficionados of the British monarchy, Ong said he was taken aback by the depth of grief being publicly expressed.

“This is the first time I met a lot of emotional, crying, tears-in-eyes people in my store,” the 42-year-old collector said. He said he’s been opening an hour earlier and closing an hour later to accommodate the surge of arrivals, most of whom are not looking for anything in particular.

“They just find some place to release their emotions,” Ong said. “Lucky or unlucky, my store is one of the places they chose.”

Many in Hong Kong saw the emotional response to the queen’s passing not just as homage to a cultural icon, but also a subtle rebuke of China’s crackdown on civil liberties.

“Nostalgia is always about romanticizing the past, but I think nostalgia is always about critiquing the present as well,” said John Carroll, a professor of history at the University of Hong Kong.

He said the magnitude of the response to Elizabeth’s death was unexpected, given Hong Kong’s vexed relationship with British colonialism and the queen’s limited role in local politics.

On the self-governed island of Taiwan, the response has been more muted. One of the mourners who waited in line at the British Office, the U.K.’s representative entity, was a 50-year-old fabric designer from Hong Kong.

“The passing of the queen was like the end of an era to me,” she said, giving only her last name, Lui, because of fear that she could be targeted by China supporters. “The golden age of colonial Hong Kong is totally over.”

As teenagers in Hong Kong, she and her siblings took to the streets to try to catch a glimpse of a visiting Elizabeth, but were unable to push through the welcoming crowds. Nearly 36 years later in Taipei, she paid her respects on a rainy afternoon to the queen she never got to see.

Lui, who left Hong Kong last year amid Beijing’s tightening authoritarian grip, first considered leaving after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, but held out hope that China would become more open and democratic over time.

During the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement in 2014, she thought about emigration again. But it was the violent responses to protesters in 2019 that cemented her decision.

When the queen made her first trip to Hong Kong in 1975, Lui was just 3. She was used to seeing the queen’s visage on coins, and recalled vaguely wondering how her likeness had come to life.

Elizabeth’s second visit, in 1986, came two years after the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which laid the foundation for Hong Kong to eventually return to Chinese control. Lui still remembers the cheery atmosphere and the sound of the British military band playing Scottish bagpipes.

On Tuesday, she penned her farewell in a book of condolences.

“Thank you for giving us a civilized colonial period,” she wrote. “It became our good old days.”

Lui acknowledged that Hong Kong under colonialism wasn’t perfect. But she couldn’t help but compare the city’s past with its present.

“Imagine you and your ex-girlfriend broke up for family reasons, but your new girlfriend blocks you and bullies you, making you lose your freedom and financial ability, and even your smile,” she said. “Won’t you miss your ex-girlfriend so much?”

Yang is a staff writer and Shen a special correspondent.

More to Read

Well-known Hong Kong pro-democracy activist jumps bail at home to stay in Canada

Dec. 4, 2023

Crowds gather and lay flowers as former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is laid to rest

Nov. 2, 2023

King Charles inherits a changed Britain — and public apathy about the crown

May 9, 2023

Start your day right

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Stephanie Yang is a China correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. Previously she was a reporter with the Wall Street Journal in New York, Beijing and Taipei, covering a broad range of topics including financial markets, tech companies, New York City and the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Born and raised in Iowa, she graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

More From the Los Angeles Times

World & Nation

In reversal, Virginia school board votes to restore Confederate names to 2 schools

Israel orders new evacuations in Gaza’s last refuge of Rafah as it expands military offensive

Russia claims capture of villages in northeast Ukraine as more than 1,700 civilians flee

Flash floods kill over 300 people in Afghanistan after heavy rains, U.N. says

• International

Queen Elizabeth's death and funeral

By Rob Picheta , Ed Upright, Aditi Sangal , Elise Hammond and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN

Crowds remember Queen Elizabeth II in Hong Kong

From CNN's Kathleen Magramo

Hundreds queued up outside the British consulate in Hong Kong on Monday morning to offer flowers and to sign a book of condolence in remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II.

Hong Kong was a British colony for 156 years until 1997 when it was returned to Chinese rule, but Beijing now appears to have rejected that status, referring to the period as a “forcible occupation” that should not be regarded as legitimate.

The Queen, who visited Hong Kong twice during her 70 year reign, is remembered by many in the city as “Boss Lady” or “lady in charge” in Cantonese.

Among those outside the consulate office on Monday was retiree Sylvia Lee, who said she was saddened to hear of the Queen’s death on Friday, adding she thought the Queen was a symbol of stability across the world.

“No one lives forever and we knew this day would come someday. She was a respected figure, and the government during the colonial period made many contributions to Hong Kong’s development, especially in the 70s and 80s,” Lee told CNN, referring to a period when governors appointed to the city built up its public housing and transport infrastructure.

Chapman Wu, 40, also brought along his young daughter, to pay tribute and offer flowers to the Queen.

Wu said that without the British Empire, having religious freedom in the city might not have been possible under Chinese rule. Christianity was brought in Hong Kong as early as 1841 when the city came under British rule after the First Opium War.

“I won’t comment politically, but without being a former British colony, Hong Kong might not have religious freedom,” he told CNN.

“Otherwise, who knows if we’d be able to practice any religion at all, especially with religious repression of Christians in China.”

Both Beijing loyalists and Hong Kong politicians protested against British control during the colonial period, but in recent years, a more favorable view of the colonial government has emerged among pro-democracy groups, with many adopting the colonial flag as a radical sign of resistance to Chinese one-party rule during the 2019 anti-government protests.

Former British colony to hold referendum on becoming a republic, its prime minister says

From CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali and Jen Deaton

Antigua and Barbuda, a Commonwealth country and former colony of the British Empire, will hold a referendum on becoming a republic and removing King Charles III as its head of state within three years, its prime minister has said.  

The island nation's Prime Minister Gaston Browne told the UK’s ITV News on Saturday that "this is a matter that has to be taken to a referendum for the people to decide."

This was Browne’s first interview since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday.

Browne said "it does not represent any form of disrespect to the monarch. This is not an act of hostility, or any difference between Antigua and Barbuda and the monarchy."

He added that "it is a final step to complete the circle of independence to become a truly sovereign nation."

The Caribbean country is one of 14 states to retain a British monarch as head of state, with Browne signing a document confirming Charles’ status as the new King for now.

Some context: King Charles III will now become head of the Commonwealth, although that is not a hereditary position, after his  succession to the role  was agreed by the association's leaders at a meeting in London in 2018.

Prince William honored to "serve the Welsh people" as he speaks to first minister

From CNN's Max Foster and David Wilkinson

Prince William has spoken to the first minister of Wales and expressed his honor in being made Prince of Wales by King Charles III, according to a Kensington Palace statement on Sunday.

In a telephone conversation with Mark Drakeford, the Prince of Wales "acknowledged his and the Princess’s deep affection for Wales, having made their first family home in Anglesey including during the earliest months of Prince George’s life," the statement read.

The statement added that the new Prince and Princess of Wales will "serve the Welsh people" with "humility and great respect."

According to the statement, they will spend the months and years ahead deepening their relationship with communities across Wales.

"They want to do their part to support the aspirations of the Welsh people and to shine a spotlight on both the challenges and opportunities in front of them. The Prince and Princess look forward to celebrating Wales’ proud history and traditions as well as a future that is full of promise.

"They will seek to live up to the proud contribution that members of the Royal family have made in years past," the statement adds.

What to expect on Monday as the King travels to Scotland

From CNN's Rob Picheta

For a few days, time seemed to stand still in parts of the United Kingdom as the nation absorbed the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death. Politics, sport and some cultural events came to a grinding halt and tributes flowed from many corners of public life, while the country’s longest-serving heir apparent introduced himself, at last, as King Charles III.

On Monday, as Britain starts its first full week in a new era, Charles will continue that task. The day will see tributes to the late monarch and public appearances from the new one, as the UK observes a period of mourning that will end after the Queen’s funeral in seven days’ time.

Here’s what we’re expecting later today:

• King Charles III will first travel to Parliament in London to meet with members of the House of Commons and Lords.
• The monarch will then fly to Scotland, where he will attend the Ceremony of the Keys.
• Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin will travel in a procession from Edinburgh's Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral.
• A service will take place in the Scottish capital, attended by the King.
• The monarch will meet with Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland.

Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.

Zen Soo, Associated Press Zen Soo, Associated Press

Alice Fung, Associated Press Alice Fung, Associated Press

Leave your feedback

• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/public-grief-over-queen-elizabeth-ii-in-hong-kong-seen-as-both-nostalgia-and-dissent

Public grief over Queen Elizabeth II in Hong Kong seen as both nostalgia and dissent

HONG KONG (AP) — Hundreds of Hong Kong residents are lining up in front of the British Consulate General for hours each day to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II, leaving piles of flowers and handwritten notes.

The collective outpouring of grief after her death last week is perhaps the most ardent among the former British colonies, where mourning has been generally subdued. It’s seen by some experts as a form of dissent against increasingly intrusive controls by communist-ruled Beijing, which took over the territory in 1997.

Some Hong Kongers are nostalgic for what they view as a past “golden age” under Britain’s not entirely democratic colonial rule, when the city of about 7 million people gained stature as a world financial center and tourism destination.

READ MORE: China’s president visits Hong Kong 25 years after the end of British rule

The queen’s death has sparked a flurry of interest in British memorabilia, among other things.

The Queen is nicknamed “si tau por” in Hong Kong. Pronounced “see-tao-POHR” In the local Cantonese dialect, that translates to “boss lady.”

“We used to call her ‘si tau por’ when we were under her rule. It’s simply a way of showing respect to her. There was a feeling of kindness from her, she’s not the kind of boss who is up above you,” said CK Li, a resident who queued for over two hours to pay his respects.

Another resident, 80-year-old Eddie Wong, said she was there “out of true feelings” from her heart.

“People in Hong Kong love her,” said Wong. “Because when we were under her rule, we enjoyed democracy and freedom and we were very grateful. I want to bid farewell to ‘si tau por’ who is in heaven.”

READ MORE: Police crackdown on Tiananmen vigils in Hong Kong

With its July 1, 1997, takeover China promised to leave Hong Kong’s Western-style civil liberties and institutions intact for at least 50 years. Many raised in the former territory grew up hoping for still greater freedoms.

But following months of anti-government protests in 2019, Beijing imposed a tough national security law on the city, seeking to stamp out public dissent.

News outlets deemed overly critical of Beijing have been forced to shut down and dozens of activists have been arrested. The mass protests ended. Tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents have chosen to emigrate to the U.K. and other places such as Taiwan.

So far, the authorities have allowed the orderly, somber shows of respect to continue.

“I would imagine that some people are going there not so much for nostalgia reasons, but as a kind of protest, now that dissent is suppressed,” said John Burns, an honorary professor of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong.

“Some people, for example, who agree with the kind of universal values that the U.K. stands for, and that were incorporated in our Bill of Rights at the end of colonialism could participate in this as a form of protest,” Burns said.

READ MORE: Beijing loyalist John Lee becomes Hong Kong’s next leader in uncontested election

Emotions in Hong Kong are running high, said former Democratic Party chairwoman and ex-lawmaker Emily Lau, given the city’s political situation and its struggles in fighting COVID-19.

“There are some who are genuinely nostalgic and have sentimental feelings for the Queen, but there are also people who have grievances about the current situation in Hong Kong,” Lau said.

“We cannot rule out that some have used this occasion to express that,” she said.

At the same time, public figures in Hong Kong are being scrutinized over their response to the queen’s passing, and drawing criticism if they are viewed as too admiring of her reign or British rule in general.

Commenters on mainland Chinese social media sites have blasted veteran actor Lau Kar-ying, for posting a selfie outside the British Consulate on Instagram with a caption including the line, “Hong Kong was a blessed land under her reign.”

Harshly criticized for attributing Hong Kong’s prosperity to British rule, Lau deleted the post and issued a video apology on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo. He appealed to people not to read too much into what he said.

“I am Chinese and I will forever love my motherland. I’m sorry,” Lau said.

WATCH: Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, dead at 96

Not all Hong Kongers are sentimental about British rule. Some resent London’s decision not to grant them full British citizenship, instead giving them British National Overseas passports before the handover, which do not guarantee a right to live in the U.K.

“The British took away the rights of those born in Hong Kong before 1997. They didn’t protect those rights,” said Leslie Chan, who said he had no plans to show his respects to the queen. “When the British government discussed with China about the future of Hong Kong, Hong Kongers were cut off from the discussion,” he said.

Some in Hong Kong are only focusing on the last few decades of British rule before the handover to China, when the city became increasingly prosperous and the colonial government burnished its legacy with new parks, train lines and other modern amenities.

British rule in Hong Kong benefited the territory in some ways but colonialism is ultimately harmful for its hegemony and racism, said Burns.

“When you’re talking about the benefits of colonialism, you cannot just take the last 10 years or 20 years in Hong Kong,” he said. “You have to look at the whole thing.”

Support Provided By: Learn more

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

China’s president visits Hong Kong 25 years after the end of British rule

World Jul 01

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Hong Kong residents queue for hours to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth

British consulate in Hong Kong extends opening hours as thousands gather to remember ‘boss lady’

• Death of the Queen and King Charles’s accession – live updates

It was the hottest day on record for September, yet under a sweltering sun, thousands of Hongkongers flocked to the British consulate, waiting up to four hours in a long queue that stretched more than 500 metres into a public park to sign the book of condolence for Queen Elizabeth II . The next day, thousands turned up again, prompting the consulate to extend opening hours to 7pm for the whole week.

Many came to eulogise the ‘boss lady’ – an affectionate nickname for the Queen who was Hong Kong’s colonial head of state for 45 years – while also cherishing the opportunity to meet like-minded Hongkongers and share their memories of the city under British rule during the long wait.

Rallies and protests – once commonplace in a flourishing hub of civil liberties – have long disappeared from Hong Kong’s streets after Beijing introduced a sweeping national security law two years ago in response to anti-government protests in 2019.

The Queen’s death has, for some, sparked a deep sense of grief that goes beyond a fond remembrance to a mourning for an era they look back on as a golden age of Hong Kong, during which it grew from an impoverished city into an international metropolis that prided itself on its financial success and robust civil freedoms.

“This is a rare opportunity for true Hongkongers to get together in solidarity and talk. I don’t suppose there will be other opportunities again. Since 2019, we have not been able to do this,” said a social worker in her 30s, who declined to give her name.

“We talked about her visits to Hong Kong – she was graceful but down-to-earth,” she said, referring to the Queen’s visit in 1975 when she was pictured talking to hawkers in a market and visiting a public housing estate.

“But mostly, we talked about how the British brought the rule of law, free economy, the education system, universal healthcare, public housing, social and political reforms. We think these were their greatest contributions to Hong Kong.”

Some in the queue were wary of police presence but felt some degree of protection being outside the British consulate. Others refrained from being seen mourning in public, anxious that the authorities would keep an eye on them. The Beijing-backed Ta Kung Pao newspaper accused Hong Kong mourners of “colonial nostalgia” and said it was proof that work on “decolonisation” should be intensified. It also blasted “anti-China media” for peddling “political propaganda” through the Queen’s passing.

Li, a 73-year-old retiree in the queue, stayed up all night after the Queen’s death was announced, when it was past 1am in Hong Kong. He recalled his feelings after he escaped from China to Hong Kong in 1964: “I saw her picture in government offices and thought: ‘I am lucky enough to have come to Hong Kong. Now I can do everything freely, I could study and choose my own job without political assessments. I must work hard and live a decent life’.”

The caption of a cartoon circulated online titled “Goodbye Boss” said: “She didn’t demand us to learn the British national anthem, nor the history of her country. She didn’t demand patriotism nor praise for her, yet she lives in our hearts for ever.”

Amid a sea of floral tributes, photographs of the Queen, and several Paddington teddy bears, one message read: “You will be remembered for your elegance and legacy: a once free and civilised Hong Kong.”

• Asia Pacific
• Queen Elizabeth II

Most viewed

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

In Mourning the Queen, Some in Hong Kong Mourn the Past

A memorial for Elizabeth has given residents of the former British colony a rare platform for public, if quiet, political dissent.

By Zixu Wang and John Yoon

Follow the latest news on Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral .

HONG KONG — Many people lining up outside the British Consulate General here this week were mourning not just the death of Queen Elizabeth II but the loss of what the city once was.

They were there to leave flowers, a portrait of the queen or a Union Jack, and to sign a book of remembrance for Elizabeth, who was Hong Kong’s head of state for 45 years when it was a British colony. The consulate said more than 10,000 people had paid their respects in the week ended Friday, when temperatures neared the mid-90s.

“When mourning the queen, we are mourning the lost Hong Kong,” said Cathleen Cheung, 30, a social worker who went to the consulate on Friday.

Hong Kong was a British colony for more than 150 years before it returned to Chinese control in 1997 under a policy of “one country, two systems.” Since then, China has chipped away many of the city’s freedoms, including of speech, assembly and political dissent. A national security law passed in 2020, after massive protests roiled the city the year before, shattered what remained of the city’s pro-democracy movement.

“In the past few years, it’s been so hard for many people to gather,” Ms. Cheung said. “It’s a really rare chance, and we have to cherish it.”

Elizabeth’s death has drawn mixed reactions in former British colonies across Africa , Asia and the Pacific , rekindling debates about Britain’s policies and legacy. In Hong Kong, the memorial for the queen has given some residents a rare platform for public, if quiet, political dissent.

Some visitors to the consulate on Friday wore yellow masks and black T-shirts with slogans that echoed those from the pro-democracy demonstrations of a few years ago. The outpouring of grief brought so many people to the consulate that it extended its hours.

The line outside was peaceful. A police van was parked nearby, but no officers were inside or on the street.

“We grew up in a time when we had nine years of free education, a fair and enlightened environment, and we could move up the social ladder,” said Mara Leung, 50, a saleswoman who left flowers at the consulate. “We took it for granted at that time, but now it is very difficult for young people to do it.”

Not everyone looked back so fondly. On Friday, a man staged a small protest outside the consulate with a banner that read “Chinese people don’t forget the Opium War,” a reference to the conflict that allowed Britain to gain control of Hong Kong.

Chinese nationalists attacked Law Kar-ying, a 75-year-old Hong Kong opera star and actor, on social media for an Instagram post in which he said that “Hong Kong was a blessed land during her reign.”

Mr. Law later deleted the post and uploaded a video on the Chinese social media site Weibo to apologize for praising the queen.

In recent years, pro-Beijing officials have moved to wipe away the city’s past by covering up British royal insignia and publishing new school textbooks that claim Hong Kong was never a colony at all but rather an “occupied territory,” in an apparent bid to establish China’s unbroken sovereignty.

Alexandra Wong, 66, an activist better known as Grandma Wong who was recently jailed for her democracy advocacy, has said that waving the Union Jack had become “very dangerous” in Hong Kong.

Britain was not always viewed positively when it controlled Hong Kong. In 1967, widespread riots broke out against British rule. There were democratic reforms and economic prosperity in the 1980s and ’90s, but activists condemned Britain for never granting the city’s residents universal suffrage. The colonial police force was criticized for using excessive force and repressing protests.

Still, many have regarded the 1997 handover as the end of a golden age for the city. It set off a wave of emigration by Hong Kong residents to Britain, Canada and Australia.

At the official level, remembrance of the queen remained disconnected from the colonial era. Hong Kong sent its chief secretary, Chan Kwok-ki, to the consulate on Tuesday to sign the remembrance book on behalf of the government. He went “to express profound condolences,” a government statement said. A statement from John Lee, Hong Kong’s chief executive, made no reference to British colonial rule.

“Having reigned for 70 years, she was the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom,” Mr. Lee said . “She was greatly respected, admired and praised by the British people.”

Still, the warm feelings of many Hong Kong residents about the days of British rule have grown with Beijing’s tightening grip over the city, and the queen’s death seemed to bring them to the surface.

“We are not nostalgic for colonization. We’re just nostalgic for the old days,” said Agnes Chan, 70, a retired banker who visited the memorial at the consulate. “The British government set up a good example for us of how a democracy should be and gave us freedom of speech and rule of law.”

Her husband, Kelvin Wong, 70, a retired financial controller, praised the queen, saying he missed her. “When my generation was growing up, she gave us a good environment where we had good opportunities to develop,” he said. “The mood is certainly different now. Times have changed.”

Zixu Wang reported from Hong Kong, and John Yoon from Seoul.

Zixu Wang covers news in China for The Times. He studied journalism in Hong Kong and international human rights law in the United States. He is currently based in Hong Kong. More about Zixu Wang

John Yoon reports from the Seoul newsroom of The New York Times. He previously reported for The Times’s coronavirus tracking team, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2021. He joined The Times in 2020. More about John Yoon

• Breaking news
• Home & Living
• Movies & Drama
• Crypto News

2-year-old child fatally crushed by a delivery van in Shenzhen residential…

Hongkongers will miss spectacular auroras resulting from powerful solar storm, says…

Consumer Council advocates legalisation of ride-hailing services as taxi service fails…

Teenager arrested for allegedly carrying expandable baton, Confiscated near Golden Era…

Hong Kong Palace Museum to showcase historical French fashion exhibition in June

“Books for Love @ HK$10” charity book sale at Taikoo Place…

Tickets for International Arts Carnival to be available for purchase starting…

Renowned violinist Ray Chen to showcase musical brilliance in violin recital…

Japanese frugal expert maintains daily 1,000 yen (HK$51) spending for over…

Discover how to explore Hong Kong with just HK$100 as high…

HK husband on the brink of collapse lists wife’s ‘eight sins’…

Guidelines for employees to apply for a 4-day work week with…

China’s passenger car retail sales show steady growth in early 2024

Four automakers in South Korea to recall 7,700 vehicles for manufacturing…

Apple unveils refreshed iPad lineup at “Let Loose” event

Apple pursues AI dominance with in-house chip development for data centres

Former actress Gaile Lok embraces single life with Bali surfing adventure

Gillian Chung spotted in wheelchair while filming in Mainland

Jet Li and Nina Li Chi’s rare couple photo surfaces, showing…

Former F4 member Vic Chou’s ageless charm shines in new drama…

Marseille hosts Olympic torch relay with a touch of Olympique de…

Late goals by Joselu propel Real Madrid to Champions League final

China clinches 16th Uber Cup title with victory over Indonesia

Historic gold medal victory for Hong Kong men’s fencing team at…

Mark Clattenburg resigns from Nottingham Forest

Trump courts cryptocurrency traders, leaving some democrats uneasy

Canadian regulators impose C$6 million fine on Binance for financial regulation…

FTX customers to recover all lost funds and earn interest, bankruptcy…

Indonesian regulator establishes crypto asset committee to monitor industry

The late queen elizabeth ii visited hong kong twice in 1975 and 1986.

9th September 2022 – (Hong Kong) World’s second-longest reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II passed away at  Balmoral Castle  in Scotland at the age of 96. The Queen has died peacefully at Balmoral in the afternoon, the Royal Family has announced. 

The late Queen Elizabeth II visited Hong Kong with her late husband Prince Philip (Duke of Edinburgh) on the afternoon of 4th May 1975. Over the following two days, the royal couple visited Hong Kong City Hall, Morse Park, Oi Man Estate, the train station at Hung Hom, the University of Hong Kong, the Kwai Chung container port and the industrial area in Tsuen Wan among other places. They also enjoyed the city’s first firework display since the 1967 riots. The Queen and Prince Philip departed Hong Kong on the morning of 7th May.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

2-year-old child fatally crushed by a delivery van in shenzhen residential complex, hongkongers will miss spectacular auroras resulting from powerful solar storm, says hong kong observatory, consumer council advocates legalisation of ride-hailing services as taxi service fails to meet demand in hong kong.

• Editorial Standards

© 2021 DimSum Daily. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The Straits Times

• International
• Print Edition
• news with benefits
• SPH Rewards
• STClassifieds
• Berita Harian
• Hardwarezone
• Shin Min Daily News
• Tamil Murasu
• The Business Times
• The New Paper
• Lianhe Zaobao
• Advertise with us

'Boss lady': Queen Elizabeth remembered in former colony Hong Kong

HONG KONG - Many Hong Kongers took to social media Friday to mourn Queen Elizabeth, a woman affectionately nicknamed "boss lady" among older residents in a city that was one of Britain's last colonies.

Queen Elizabeth visited Hong Kong twice during her reign, while her son - now King Charles III - was present for the handover to China in 1997.

"My grandmother who raised me always spoke of the 'boss lady'. I heard about her so much she felt like family… Today, it's like a family member passed away," Facebook user Vincent Lam wrote.

"It's the end of an era… Thank you for your lifetime of devotion," read another post on the Facebook group Hong Kong Reminiscence that garnered nearly 4,000 likes within hours of Queen Elizabeth's death, news of which broke overnight in the city.

Britain has seen two major waves of Hong Kong immigration in recent decades - the first in the run-up to the handover, and the second over the last two years as China cracks down on political dissent.

Many of those reacting overnight were doing so from their new home.

"She always (has) our highest respect… I'll miss her," said Mr Lok Cheung, a popular Hong Kong tech YouTuber who recently emigrated to Britain.

"Hong Kong Worker", a comic artist who has also relocated, drew a panel of himself telling the Queen: "Thank you for giving us a Hong Kong that was once beautiful."

Britain's record in Hong Kong sparks mixed views in the city.

時代的終結，英女王駕崩了。事頭婆，謝謝您畢生奉獻。 Posted by 香港遺美 Hong Kong Reminiscence on  Thursday, September 8, 2022

During colonial times, both Beijing loyalists and Hong Kong democrats protested against British control. Many democracy supporters, however, came to view the British era more favourably once authoritarian China began ratcheting up control of the city, even waving colonial flags during huge protests in 2019 that incensed Beijing.

China imposed a sweeping national security law in the aftermath of those protests and has cracked down on any actions it deems "foreign collusion", which could make mourning Queen Elizabeth risky in Hong Kong in the current climate.

Mr Nathan Law, a prominent pro-democracy politician who now lives in Britain and is wanted by Hong Kong police under the security law, said the Queen nonetheless had a special place in many Hong Kongers' hearts.

"The Queen is loved by millions of Hong Kong people," he wrote on Twitter.

China has reacted angrily to British criticism over Hong Kong, including London’s decision to offer millions of Hong Kongers a pathway to citizenship because of the ongoing crackdown.  

But current Hong Kong leader John Lee struck a conciliatory statement following Elizabeth II’s death.  

“She was greatly respected, admired and praised by the British people,” Mr Lee said.  “We send our deepest condolences to the people of the United Kingdom during this time of national mourning and reflection”. AFP

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

• Queen Elizabeth
• King Charles

Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards

Spin the wheel now

Hong Kong Free Press HKFP

Hong Kong news, breaking updates – 100% Independent, impartial, non-profit

HKFP History: In Pictures – Queen Elizabeth II in Hong Kong

• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

Queen Elizabeth II is set to become Britain’s longest reigning monarch on Wednesday as she breaks the record once held by Queen Victoria, her great-great grandmother. The Queen, aged 89, will have reigned for over 63 years.

The British parliament will observe a half-hour recess to pay tribute to the Queen whilst a flotilla of historic boats and cruisers are to set sail down London’s River Thames to mark the occasion.

The Queen visited Hong Kong twice during the British colonial era. Once in May 1975 and again in October 1986, two years after the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed.

During her visit in the 70s, the Queen and her husband Prince Philip visited City Hall, Morse Park, Oi Man Estate, Hung Hom MTR station, the University of Hong Kong and the Kwai Chung container port. They watched the first fireworks display since the 1967 riots.

In 1986, the Queen paid a second visit to Hong Kong and became the first British monarch to visit China.

In the run-up to the 1997 Handover to China, all public offices replaced their flags, the Queen’s portrait disappeared from postage stamps and offices and the “Royal” title was dropped from almost all institutions. References to the “Crown” were switched to the “State”, the British honours system was replaced by the Grand Bauhinia Medal award and the public holiday for the Queen’s birthday gave way to the Buddha’s Birthday holiday. Royal Mail pillar boxes were repainted and Hong Kong’s membership of the Commonwealth ended.

However, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club voted to keep its Royal prefix in English. Today, it remains one of the few reminders of Hong Kong’s Commonwealth links.

Support HKFP   |  Code of Ethics   |  Error/typo?   |  Contact Us   |   Newsletter   |  Annual & Transparency Report

Tom Grundy Editor-in-Chief & Founder

Tom founded Hong Kong Free Press in 2015 and is the editor-in-chief. In addition to editing, he is responsible for managing the newsroom and company - including fundraising, recruitment and overseeing HKFP's web presence and ethical guidelines.

He has a BA in Communications and New Media from Leeds University and an MA in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong. He previously led an NGO advocating for domestic worker rights, and has contributed to the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Al-Jazeera and others.

HKFP is a proud member of:

Latest Stories

China’s Xi Jinping leaves Hungary, concludes 5-day European tour

By backing Russia during its war on Ukraine, China may risk involvement in ecocide

How Hong Kong designer Charis Poon integrates zine-making into university courses

Einstein and anime: How a Hong Kong university is testing the use of ‘AI lecturers’

US law allowing sanctions on China, Hong Kong officials ‘highly subjective,’ legal expert tells Jimmy Lai’s trial

Hong Kong gov’t targets 950,000 vulnerable residents for poverty alleviation programme

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

features & interviews

Flower market district: Residents fear plans to build high-rises and mall will uproot community – Part 1

Hong Kong zine artist Kaitlin Chan on seeing the city with ‘renewed curiosity’ 

Restaurants slow to adopt eco-friendly alternatives as Hong Kong’s ban on single-use plastics takes effect

Sexual harassment allegations against LGBTQ-friendly pastor in Hong Kong raise questions over power dynamics

Views expressed by opinion writers & advertisers are not necessarily shared by HKFP.

Where to find HKFP:

• HKFP Mobile Apps .
• HKFP Newsletter .
• HKFP Podcast .
• HKFP Facebook .
• HKFP Instagram .
• HKFP LinkedIn .
• HKFP Mastodon .
• HKFP Telegram .
• HKFP X/Twitter .
• HKFP YouTube .
• HKFP Apple News .
• HKFP Flipboard .
• HKFP News360 .
• HKFP Pushbullet .
• HKFP Whatsapp .

About HKFP:

• Advertise with HKFP .
• Announcements .
• Contact HKFP .
• Community Guidelines .
• Corrections Policy .
• Corrections Log .
• Documentary on HKFP .
• Freelance Charter .
• Newspaper Registration (periodical) .
• Policies, Ethics & Standards .
• Privacy, T's & C''s .
• Security Law .
• Staff Roster .

HKFP Partnerships:

Most-read stories today

About The Trust Project

The Trust Project is a collaboration among news organizations around the world. Its goal is to create strategies that fulfill journalism’s basic pledge: to serve society with a truthful, intelligent and comprehensive account of ideas and events.

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

Become an FT subscriber

Try unlimited access Only $1 for 4 weeks

Then $75 per month. Complete digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Cancel anytime during your trial.

• Global news & analysis
• Expert opinion
• Special features
• FirstFT newsletter
• Videos & Podcasts
• Android & iOS app
• FT Edit app
• 10 gift articles per month

Explore more offers.

Standard digital.

• FT Digital Edition

Premium Digital

Print + premium digital, weekend print + standard digital, weekend print + premium digital.

Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.

• Global news & analysis
• Exclusive FT analysis
• FT App on Android & iOS
• FirstFT: the day's biggest stories
• 20+ curated newsletters
• Follow topics & set alerts with myFT
• FT Videos & Podcasts
• 20 monthly gift articles to share
• Lex: FT's flagship investment column
• 15+ Premium newsletters by leading experts
• FT Digital Edition: our digitised print edition
• Weekday Print Edition
• Videos & Podcasts
• Premium newsletters
• 10 additional gift articles per month
• FT Weekend Print delivery
• Everything in Standard Digital
• Everything in Premium Digital

Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.

• 10 monthly gift articles to share
• Everything in Print

Terms & Conditions apply

Explore our full range of subscriptions.

Why the ft.

See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times.

International Edition

The Heritage Of Queen Elizabeth II In Hong Kong

Queen Elizabeth II , who passed away on September 8, 2022, was Hong Kong’s last British monarch. Her time as Queen of the United Kingdom lasted 70 years, making her the world’s second-longest reigning monarch. The Queen appointed six of the city’s governors and, like her predecessors, left her mark on Hong Kong, in the form of various landmarks and cultural institutions that were named after her .

Two visits to Hong Kong

She was the only reigning sovereign to visit the city , and she did so twice : in 1975 and 1986. The first trip was with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh , during which the royal couple visited Hong Kong City Hall, the Happy Valley Racecourse, Morse Park, Oi Man Estate, the train station at Hung Hom, the University of Hong Kong, the Kwai Chung container port and the industrial area in Tsuen Wan . They also attended the first fireworks display in the city since the 1967 riots . During the Queen’s second trip, which she made after she went to Mainland China , she visited the Sha Tin Race Course . Some of Hong Kong’s most well-known landmarks were built to commemorate these visits.

Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wan Chai

This multi-purpose indoor venue opened in 1980 , five years after the sovereign’s first visit to the city. Located in Wan Chai, the stadium has a 3,500-seat arena, three squash courts and a table tennis playing area, among other facilities. Popular Japanese pop singer Kenji Sawada was one of the was one of the first artists to hold a concert here in 1980, followed by Taiwanese pop singer Teresa Teng in 1982. It has also hosted many concerts by Cantopop stars such as George Lam, Michael Kwan, and Hong Kong rock band Beyond , among others. It was also one of the major venues for the 2009 East Asian Games .

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Yau Ma Tei

Opened in 1963, Queen Elizabeth Hospital is one of the largest acute general hospitals in Hong Kong. It is a major tertiary hospital in southern Kowloon and has more than 1,900 beds. The foundation stone was laid by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1959, and the hospital was opened by the governor at the time, Robert Black . Queen Elizabeth Hospital Path takes its name from the late sovereign and the hospital named after her.

Queen Elizabeth School, Mong Kok

The school was founded in 1954 after the Queen’s coronation the previous year. The Anglo-Chinese co-educational secondary school was the first in the city that had English as a medium of instruction . It initially operated as an afternoon school on the premises of King’s College, and later moved to its present location in 1955.

Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup

Queen Elizabeth II’s love of horses was famous. The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race held at Sha Tin Racecourse that was established in 1975 by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. It was first run at the Happy Valley Racecourse in Happy Valley in honour of a visit that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh made there. The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup is a set weights Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race in Hong Kong that was first held in 1977 on the occasion of the Queen’s silver jubilee.

Queen Elizabeth II’s insignia on Hong Kong post boxes

There are several colonial-era post boxes that remain on the city’s pavements and walls. Before Hong Kong’s handover to Mainland China in 1997, these post boxes were red . They have since been painted green , the official colour of Hongkong Post. While there are some that date back to the reign of George V and VI, there are several that bear Elizabeth II’s insignia .

Colonial-era currency

Queen Elizabeth’s II’s effigy was on Hong Kong’s currency from 1952 till 1992 . Some limited-edition coins issued by the Hong Kong government and struck by the Royal Mint also found their way into collectors’ hands. One 22K gold coin was issued in 1986 in honour of the Queen’s visit to the city that year.

Header image credits: Andrea N via Pinterest and fong.laikuen via Flickr

From the Middle East to the Far East and a couple of places in between, Anjali has lived in no fewer than seven cities in Asia, and has travelled extensively in the region. She worked as a lifestyle journalist in India before coming to Hong Kong, where her favourite thing to do is island-hopping with her daughter. You can check out her musings on motherhood, courtesy her Instagram profile .

Add comment

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

• Free newsletter
• What's new

Cart Flyout

1975 queen elizabeth visits hong kong.

Notes from Hong Kong Memory :

Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Hong Kong with her husband Prince Philip (Duke of Edinburgh) on the afternoon of 4 May 1975. Over the following two days, the royal couple visited Hong Kong City Hall, Morse Park, Oi Man Estate, the train station at Hung Hom, the University of Hong Kong, the Kwai Chung container port and the industrial area in Tsuen Wan among other places. They also enjoyed the city’s first firework display since the 1967 riots. The Queen and Prince Philip departed Hong Kong on the morning of 7 May.

Photos of this event:

• Log in or register to post comments

QEII visit to market stall

The photo of the Queen visiting a vegetable market in 1975 is one of the most memorable images of HM on these shores. Does anyone know which market this was?

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/2100777/rare…

Re: Market Stall

Mention is made  here  of the Queen visiting a market stall in Central. I recall it was the Graham Street Market. A reference  here  in the Royal Collection Trust to the unscheduled stop at Graham Street Market to chat with street traders and merchants. The search function of the Collection is not user friendly. But  here  is a similar photo.