Queens death: Ben Roberts-Smith breaks silence on being one of handful of invited Australians

By William On Sep 13, 2022

Ben Roberts-Smith has opened up about his invitation to attend the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey in London, hailing Her Majesty for her personal sacrifice and ‘magnificent’ example.

But the Nine newspaper reporter at the centre of a defamation battle against Australia’s most decorated soldier has seized on the opportunity to remind Australia about the allegations against him.

Victoria Cross recipient Mr Roberts-Smith – who is awaiting the outcome of his epic defamation ‘trial of the century’ against the publishing house – is one of just a handful of Australians given the exclusive invitation.

He won the Victoria Cross for storming a fortified enemy machine gun position in Afghanistan and killing three insurgents when his unit was pinned back.

The soldier, by virtue of his military service, will join officials including Anthony Albanese and the Governor-General David Hurley and a handful of celebrated Australian civilians at the service.

Among them include Danny Abdallah, the father who lost three of his children to a drunk and drugged driver in Oatlands, western Sydney, in 2020, and Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott.

But Mr Roberts-Smith’s invitation was not welcomed by all.

Ben Roberts-Smith has opened up about his invitation to attend the Queen’s funeral as his arch nemesis seized on the chance to remind the public about the war hero’s past

Mr Roberts-Smith is one of four Australian Victoria Cross recipients Her Majesty wanted to be invited to her funeral before she died

Nine journalist Nick McKenzie, whose stories are among those that prompted the defamation action, did not miss the chance to attack Mr Roberts-Smith on twitter

The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes reporter Nick McKenzie marked the occasion by tweeting that Mr Roberts-Smith has been the ‘subject of multiple … alleged war crimes investigations by the Australian Federal Police.’

No charges have ever been laid against Mr Roberts-Smith.

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times for defamation over 2018 reports claiming he committed war crimes in Afghanistan, as well as other allegations, all of which he denies.

Proceedings in the Federal Court case ended on July 27 after more than 100 days of hearings.

But that will be far from his mind when he attends the funeral next week. Mr Roberts-Smith publicly welcomed his invitation to the service by speaking publicly about the occasion he met the Queen in 2011.

The digger said it was a ‘surreal’ experience and that he was ‘taken aback’ by her ‘kindness’ and ‘intelligence’.

He recalled to the West Australian that ‘she sort of dropped her handbag on the double-seated couch and pointed for me to sit down, and I assumed that she would sit opposite me, but she sat right next to me and grabbed my arm and started talking to me about just having just flown back from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at that time.’

Mr Roberts-Smith described the late Monarch as ‘magnificent’, adding that she was ‘stoic leader’ and ‘a lovely lady’.

‘I have a very deep respect for Her Majesty and everything that she has sacrificed in her life and what she has achieved.’

Once the protocols were adhered to, such as bowing and official photos, Roberts-Smith remembered meeting the Queen in her private apartment as a ‘surreal’ experience

The celebrated but embattled ex-soldier, who is waiting the outcome of his epic defamation trial against Nine publishing, is one of only 10 Australian civilians given the exclusive invitation

Mr Roberts-Smith described the late Monarch as ‘magnificent’, adding that she was ‘stoic leader’ and ‘a lovely lady

Mr Roberts-Smith is one of four Australian Victoria Cross recipients Her Majesty asked to be invited before she died.

The others were Keith Payne, Mark Donaldson and Daniel Keighran, who are all former soldiers, as well as policeman and George Cross holder Michael Pratt.

Included among the Australian civilians invited are legendary racehorse trainer Chris Waller and Valmai Dempsey, the 2022 senior Australian of the Year, who has volunteered for St John Ambulance for more than 50 years.

Dylan Alcott is one of the few Aussies who have been invited to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral

Legendary race horse trainer Chris Waller is also expected to receive a formal invite, but has said he’s yet to get the official call

Dr Miriam Rose, the 2021 Senior Australian of the Year, has also been named on the attendance list.

She became the Northern Territory’s first fully qualified Aboriginal teacher in 1975 and pioneered a unique brand of education, fusing Western knowledge with cultural learning.

Shanna Whan, the 2022 Australian of the Year Local Hero, will also attend. After overcoming a battle with alcohol addiction, she has dedicated her life to helping others get sober.

Protocol means only ten Aussies are able to attend, excluding dignitaries

Saba Abraham, a local hero from Queensland, has also been named by Mr Albanese to attend.

She is an Eritrean refugee and played a vital role in combatting the spread of Covid-19 as the Chairperson of the Brisbane Community Leaders Gathering.

Ms Abraham helped translate vital health updates into various languages.

Kim Smith – a local hero from Tasmania, has been given the green light to go. He oversaw the formation of Reclink, which organises sporting activities to support young people struggling with drug addiction.

Trudy Lin, the 2022 Young Australian of the Year, and one of only 20 practising specialists in Australia’s Special Needs Dentistry, has also been invited.

WHO ARE THE OTHER AUSSIES INVITED TO QUEEN’S FUNERAL?

Danny Abdallah:

Danny Abdallah and his wife Leila lost three of their children, and their niece, when they were ran over by a drunk driver in Sydney in February, 2020

Their kids Sienna, 8, Angelina, 12, son Antony, 13, and niece Veronique Sakr, 11, were all killed while walking to get ice-cream in Oatlands

Samuel Davidson, who was drunk and high on drugs, sped through a red light before mounting a footpath on February 1, 2020 and mowing down the children in a crime that shocked Australia. He was sentenced to 28-years behind bars

The Abdallah’s have since set up the i4give Foundation to help families who’ve gone through similar trauma and to help them find forgiveness

Dylan Alcott:

Alcott was named this year’s Australian of the Year

The wheelchair tennis champion has advocated for those with disabilities

‘My purpose in life is to change perceptions so people with disabilities can live the lives they deserve to live, do whatever they want to do,’ he said

Saba Abraham:

Saba Abraham was awarded Queensland Local Hero this year

The Eritrean refugee helped 200 refugee and migrant women get work at her restaurant

During the Covid outbreak, she chaired the Brisbane Community Leaders Gathering, which helped translate public health messages into various languages for people from different backgrounds

Valmai Dempsey:

Valmai Dempsey was crowned the ACT Senior Australian of the Year 2022

She has dedicated 50 years of her life to volunteer for St John’s Ambulance

She is one of the ACT’s longest-serving volunteers and she dedicates more of her time than any other volunteer

Ms Dempsey played a role in the 2020 Black Summer bushfires, leading 40 volunteers to help those affected

Trudy Lin:

Trudy Lin is the SA Young Australian of the Year 2022.

She is one of just 24 Special Needs Dentistry specialists in Australia.

She provides oral healthcare to people with disability, psychiatric conditions, and complex medical conditions such as cancer.

Ms Lin also treats people experiencing homelessness, trauma, and domestic violence

Professor Helen Milroy:

Prof Milroy was Australia’s first Indigenous Doctor and was awarded Australian of the Year for Western Australia in 2021

She has been a pioneer in research, education and training in Aboriginal and child mental health, including recovery from grief and trauma for more than 25 years

Prof Milroy was appointed as the commissioner for the Australian Government’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse from 2013 to 2017

Kim Smith APM:

Kim Smith was crowned the Tasmanian Local Hero this year

The former policeman created Reclink, which sets up sporting activities for teenagers struggling with drug addiction

He also set up the Young Women’s program which helps victims of abuse and neglect

Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM:

Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann is an Aboriginal elder, artist and activist of the Ngan’gityemerri language group

She is the Northern Territory’s first fully qualified Indigenous teacher and advocates for art to be taught as part of every child’s education in schools

She also set up the Miriam-Rose Foundation, which empowers Indigenous youth through art and education

Miriam-Rose was named Senior Australian of the Year in 2021

Chris Waller:

Chris Waller is a champion race horse trainer

He has trained record-breaking mare Winx, and one of Queen Elizabeth II’s horses, Chalk Stream

Mr Waller was in regular contact with Her Majesty, with the pair speaking about his horses often, before she died

Shanna Whan:

Shanna Whan was this year’s Local Hero Australian of the Year

She overcame her own battle with alcohol addiction to launch not-for-profit organisation Sober in the Country

Sober in the Country helps those in rural communities struggling with alcoholism

RSL Australia president Greg Melick will also attend on behalf of the organisation, of which the Queen was a patron.

‘She dedicated her life to the service of her nation and the peoples of the Commonwealth and never shirked this great responsibility,’ Mr Melick said on the Queen’s death.

Danny Abdallah and his wife Leila lost three of their children, and their niece, when they were ran over by a drunk driver in Sydney in February, 2020. Mr Abdallah has been invited to the Queen’s funeral

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his girlfriend Jodie Haydon will be at the service

‘The RSL will be forever grateful for her commitment, encouragement and support for our veterans and service personnel.’

Despite most of the attendees being named Australians of The Year, last year’s award winner Grace Tame will not be attending.

‘The Australians who have been invited I think, embody an extraordinary contribution to our nation,’ Mr Albanese said.

The Australians will join US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden at the service.

Senior Australian of the Year winner Valmai Dempsey is another to receive an invitation

Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann has also been invited to the funeral service for Her Majesty

Shanna Whan has dedicated her life to helping those in rural communities overcome alcoholism

Some other guests have special connections with the Queen.

Mr Waller, who is best known for training the recording-breaking mare Winx, was in regular contact with the Queen leading up to her death on Thursday, aged 96. The monarch had a passion for thoroughbred horse racing and has one of her horses, Chalk Stream, in Mr Waller’s stable.

The Sydney-based trainer and his wife Stephanie gave Her Majesty a shoe from Winx’s final win in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as a memento at a lunch during Royal Ascot.

Wheelchair tennis champ Alcott met the Queen back in May over a videocall with other Aussies honoured with awards on Australia Day.

During his introduction, the 31-year-old discussed his sporting achievements and showdowns with British tennis stars over the years.

‘I fortunately won a couple Wimbledon titles and beat some Great Britain players, which I was happy about but maybe you weren’t so happy about,’ he joked.

The cheeky quip was enough to draw a chuckle out of the Queen.

While it’s understood wheelchair tennis champion Alcott will be at the funeral, former Australian of the Year Grace Tame was not on the invite list

The 15-time Grand Slam singles title holder then explained the reason he ‘gets up in the morning’ is to change people’s perceptions of disability and what the Australian of the Year award has meant to him.

‘I get emotional talking about it to be honest,’ he said.

‘When I was a young kid I used to hate myself, your Majesty.

‘If I thought anybody in a wheelchair – let alone myself – would be Australian of the Year, I wouldn’t have believed you.

‘When I told my mum that I was getting to meet you, she cried.’

The Queen’s funeral, and the surrounding events, are set to become one of the biggest events in Britain since the Olympics, with an estimated two million people flooding to central London every day.