Which British monarch officially opened the Sydney Opera House?

Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Sydney Opera House on 20 October 1973. The ceremony marked the completion of one of the most ambitious building projects of the 20th century and was attended by a large crowd in Sydney.

The opening was a major national event, broadcast on television and accompanied by fireworks. Its programme included a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, linking the new building to the orchestral and choral traditions it had been designed to support.

The monarch’s role is sometimes confused because King George VI, Elizabeth II’s father, was the reigning monarch when the project was conceived and construction began. Queen Victoria is also an implausible alternative because she died in 1901, decades before the Opera House project. Charles III became monarch only in 2022, long after the building’s 1973 opening.

Another frequently repeated story concerns architect Jørn Utzon. He was invited to the ceremony but declined to attend because of the controversy surrounding his departure from the project. Although the Queen’s speech did not name him, New South Wales Premier Robert Askin credited Utzon during the event.