The Queen has enjoyed her first full day of official engagements in Australia despite a row about the prime minister's decision not to curtsy.
After a meeting with Australia's governor general, Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh took a boat ride on Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin.
They received a warm reception as they attended their first public event of their 11-day tour of the country.
In brilliant sunshine, they moored up at the site of Floriade - billed as the southern hemisphere's biggest flower show.
While the event ended on Sunday, organisers resurrected the show to allow the monarch and Prince Phillip to see hundreds of thousands of flowers that have been viewed by more than 400,000 visitors this year.
Andrew Forster, the event's head gardener who took the Queen around the attraction, was impressed by the work of his staff.
He said: "It looks fabulous, the team of expert gardeners have gone through the event and cleaned it up and presented it how a Queen would like to see it."
While the Queen enjoyed the flowers, the controversy over Julia Gillard's not curtsying rumbled on.
The PM chose a slight bow and handshake when she met Her Majesty on Wednesday.
Matthew Archer, from the Australian Monarchists League, said Ms Gillard's choice not to curtsy was rude and impolite, according to Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph.
"I understand she thinks we should ditch the monarchy but it's just a sign of courtesy," he said. "It actually would be a sign of respect."
Curtsying to the Queen is not mandatory anymore, according to royal protocol, although many women do choose to greet the Queen that way.
Ms Gillard defended her actions saying she was advised the decision to curtsy or not was a personal choice.
"The protocol advice to us was you either curtsy or bow your head, you should do what you're comfortable with and that's what I was comfortable with," she said.
The Queen, accompanied by husband Prince Phillip, is on her 16th royal visit to Australia.
On Friday, she will meet with Ms Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott, then attend a reception.
