If you’re going to rummage through a bin, perhaps it makes sense to choose royal rubbish.

Watching the Queen celebrate her Platinum Jubilee reminded me of something surreal I saw last time I was in London.

I was walking through a park somewhere between Kensington and Buckingham Palace. A man with a long white beard and stringy hair was gently picking through a rubbish bin not too far from the Queen’s gilded gates.

I remember the moment clearly because his search was such a contrast to the wealth, privilege and luck that was just a few metres away. I watched him briefly search for treasure with Kensington Palace sparkling in the distance. And I wondered what the Queen would make of the juxtaposition.

Minutes later I stood at the palace gates like hundreds of other curious commoners and couldn’t get the image of the dustbin man out of my head. What a strange and inequitable world.

2022 marks 70 years of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II wearing the crown and seven decades since the death of her father the King. Grief and ascension. Another extraordinary juxtaposition.

My Grandmother loves the Queen. She’s grown up with her and they share some key family milestones. Both are 95 with four children. My father, the eldest son, was born on the same day as Prince Charles. Both matriarchs are grieving the loss of their husbands of 73 years.

Recently my dad was sorting though some of my grandfather’s papers including a souvenir newspaper kept because of the royal visit to Australia in 1954. I had a look at the brittle brown pages and it was so interesting seeing the coverage.

The Brisbane Telegraph pictorial special showed various buildings around Brisbane lit up and featuring images of the Queen and the Duke. The thrill of hosting a royal visit was splashed across pages with detail and delight.

“May Drop Handshake” warned one headline.

“If the Queen finds that presentees are too vigorous with their handshakes she will eliminate the handshakes altogether. The Premier Mr Gair does not want this to happen,” the article went on.

“Last night’s rehearsal for the State reception on Tuesday night left a lot to be desired in the handshakes and curtsying.

“As one tour official remarked: “Knowing that these people are going to meet the Queen, would you not think they would go to some pains to learn the correct procedure by practising at home?”

“Koalas in trees at Royal chalet” was an exclusive report from MC Warren, Brisbane Telegraph Special Representative travelling with the Royal Tour Party.

“MELBOURNE: Two or three koalas will be placed in a tree at O’Shannassy Chalet so that the Queen and Duke will see them on Sunday.

“The Fisheries and Game Department of Victoria also will build a temporary fence round the manna gum tree so that the koalas cannot escape.

The Queen has been in Australia for four weeks and until now has seen practically nothing our native animals.”

Fishing, golf and tennis were also entertainment options for the monarch before she flew to Queensland.

A Brisbane event was meticulously scheduled at the RNA Showgrounds with a seating plan printed in the paper. The Royal Dais at the centre was surrounded by sections according to life experience. Special guests sat opposite the general public and specific allocations were made for veterans, widows and mothers of service personnel. Sadly those seats were in the thousands.

“1950 spots for children from institutions, 300 Red Cross, 200 British migrants and 200 new Australians. 115 incapacitated civilians and hundreds of seats for aged persons.”

I wonder what the Queen remembers of the occasion in Queensland. There have been so many special events in her history-making reign. I wonder what she thinks about when she returns to her palace having met so many people all over the world. Some with much, many with little.

And I wonder what happened to the dustbin man. Did he find what he was looking for? I hope he’s safe.

Does he still visit the Queen?