Away from the official gathering of dignitaries, many New Zealanders got out and about to enjoy the unexpected day off.
In Wellington, dozens of dogs - mainly corgis - strolled the waterfront in a walk organised to commemorate the Queen.
"The Queen was the chief promoter of corgis," said Michael Romanos, a proud corgi owner.
"You had to like the Queen if you liked corgis."
Further north, many Aucklanders chose to be outdoors, taking to the beach and the mall, and packing cafes.
Kohi Beach Eatery in Kohimarama welcomed the crowds on the unexpected public holiday.
"We do pay people time and a half, so it's just we need to do that little bit extra to make sure we're even at the end of the day," operations manager Lorene Politzer said.
But a holiday for some meant a logistical nightmare for others.
Up to 400 surgeries have had to be rescheduled - that's around 55% of planned care activity on Monday - adding more pressure to an already stretched health sector.
"Surgeons across the country are distressed," said Vanessa Blair, president of the New Zealand Association of General Surgeons.
"It's a terrible situation."
But most welcomed the long weekend, as Kiwis celebrated the one-off public holiday in their own special ways.
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