Rare photographs have emerged showing the moment a 15-year-old Wollongong schoolgirl lost her hat while welcoming Queen Elizabeth II to the city in 1954. Margaret Tougher, then captain of Wollongong High School, was chosen to deliver a speech to the monarch during a visit that drew thousands of schoolchildren to the old showground.
In a 2012 interview, Margaret recalled the day as 'shocking' due to a southerly gale blowing off the ocean. As she was presented to the Duke of Edinburgh, he remarked, 'You're going to have trouble with that hat,' and moments later it blew off, a moment captured by press cameras.
Despite the mishap, Margaret remained composed. 'The Queen was so young and so beautiful. She just looked and smiled at me and it was wonderful,' she said. For years afterward, people identified her as 'the girl who lost her hat.'
Margaret passed away last year. Her husband Trevor, who died before her, had instructed their children to notify the local newspaper when she died, ensuring the story would be remembered.
