Southland community stalwart Ann Robbie is likely the first person in the world bestowed with a Royal honour during the reign of King Charles III. 

Mrs Robbie was named as a recipient of the Queen's Service Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in June, for her work discovering and restoring more than 400 war memorials across Southland. 

She was due to travel to Wellington for an investiture ceremony at Government House later this year, but chose to bring it forward and hold it locally as she is suffering from cancer. 

A special ceremony, attended by around 100 invited guests, was held at the Winton Memorial Hall on Friday night. 

Buckingham Palace had announced Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral, her Scottish estate, on Thursday afternoon, (Friday morning NZ time), aged 96. 

"My husband told me the news when I woke up," Mrs Robbie says. 

"The first thing I did was to jump in the car, go to the Ryal Bush war memorial and lower the flag to half mast, as a mark of respect."

That evening, Southland District Mayor Gary Tong presented Mrs Robbie with her QSM, on behalf of King Charles III, who automatically became monarch on his mother's passing. 

"It was wonderful to have the ceremony down here and really poignant that it was Gary who presented it to me, because he's been so supportive of what I've been doing over the years. 

"It was an honour and just so humbling to have it presented in front of all those people, including volunteers who deserve it more than me. It was just such a nice atmosphere, and lovely to be able to share it with everyone." 

The QSM will be the last of those minted under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The next New Year's Honours and King's Birthday Honours will bear the likeness of King Charles III. 

"I think the investiture will probably be history-making," Mrs Robbie says, "because it had been brought forward, so was the only one that day in New Zealand and possibly the world."

The Southland App has asked Government House for confirmation.

Over the past 30 years, Mrs Robbie has devoted countless hours and her own resources to the discovery and restoration of more than 400 war memorials throughout the province, ranging from large public cenotaphs to gates to small memorial boards.

Without her efforts, many would have been lost forever. Instead, each has been catalogued into Southland’s Kia Mate Toa database to ensure its preservation for future generations.

Mayor Tong said Mrs Robbie's work had saved an incredible amount of history which should never be forgotten.

"It has taken a quite remarkable investment of her own time, tenacity and money to ensure these significant community artefacts have been preserved so that future generations will not forget the sacrifices of those brave Southlanders who served in wartime," he said.

For more than 45 years, Mrs Robbie has also provided her services as a bagpiper at Anzac Day services and funerals throughout Southland.

She has tutored young pipers in the City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band and played with the Winton and Districts and Waimatuku Pipe Bands.

Last December, Mrs Robbie received two awards for many years of service to Southland communities - the inaugural Our Southlander Award and a Community Service Award from the Wallace Takitimu Community Board.

She hopes holding the investiture locally will help people understand the significance, particularly local youngsters who she hopes will one day continue her work.