[1] It was founded by H.C. Coombs, governor of the Commonwealth Bank, Sir Charles Moses, general manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and John Douglas Pringle of the Sydney Morning Herald.
The arts company was so named to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Australia, after the trust raised £100,000 by a public appeal.
[9] In 1982 it helped to fund the tour of Aboriginal playwright Bob Merritt's play The Cake Man to the World Theatre Festival in Denver, Colorado.
[12] In 2004 the trust purchased the Independent Theatre at North Sydney[13] and undertook a major acoustical and heritage refurbishment of the venue.
[14] Jeffry Joynton-Smith AM was general manager/CEO of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust[15] from 1969 until June 1984, when Kathleen Norris was appointed to replace him.