The Princes of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall’s Royal Visit to Canada
In June of this year TRH’s the
Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall carried out an official visit to Canada
with a three-day whistle stop tour of the three Canadian Provinces of Nova
Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba.
They landed at the Halifax
International Air Port in the early evening having arrived from the United
Kingdom on board a military aircraft to be welcomed at the foot of the steps by
The Hon. Peter MacKay PC, QC, MP, and Minister for Justice & Attorney
General of HM’s Canadian Cabinet.
After being met they were
transported to Government House in Halifax, the official home of HM’s Lt.
Governor of Nova Scotia where they were officially welcomed by the Governor
General of Canada His Excellency The Right Hon. David Johnson CC, CMM,
COM, CD, FRSC(hon), FRCPSC(hon) who is HM’s representative in Canada.
Earlier in the day HM’s Canadian
Prime Minster the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper PC, MP announced that HRH The Prince
of Wales was to be appointed to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. HRH was
sworn into office by the Governor General of Canada. The Privy Council for
Canada was established under constitution in 1867, the year Canada as a country
came into existence, to advice the Canadian Government. The Privy Council is
made up of all past and present ministers, as well as selected Canadians who
have been honoured for their service to Canada.
The following morning Their Royal
Highnesses continued their Royal Tour by carrying out engagements in Halifax
and Pictou County in the Province of Nova Scotia followed by travelling to the
Province of Prince Edward Island.
The day became with the Prince of
Wales laying a wreath and meeting with military family members in Grand Parade outside
City Hall in Halifax. The Prince of Wales proceed to praise the
Canadian troops who helped to protect ‘cherished freedoms’ by sacrificing their
lives in the First and Second World Wars. It is interesting to note that the
first full day of their visit occurred on Victoria Day, the Canadian national
holiday in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday which acts as the Queen’s
official birthday in Canada, they laid a wreath at a cenotaph built to
commemorate those killed in the First World War. The Prince of Wales then addressing
hundreds of people gathered at Grand Parade square, saying ‘Halifax has borne
witness to so much of Canada's modern history. The magnificent cenotaph before
us on Grand Parade reminds us of Canada's involvement in two World Wars when
Canadians sacrificed so much to protect their cherished freedoms.’
Their Royal Highnesses continued
their day by a visit to the Canadian immigration meausum, Pier 21, where over
half a million Canadian service personally departed for action in Europe during
the Second World War. During this visit HRH The Prince of Wales reportedly made
a private comment to a bystander linking the current actions of the President
of the Russian Federation to those of Hitler during the 1930’s and 1940’s. I
personally believe that private comments are just that and should never have
been repeated let alone to members of the press in a “Chinese whispers” manner.
Later the couple
visited a Military Families Resources Centre in Halifax where they encountered
an unusual line-up - a group of fruit. Their Royal Highnesses were introduced
to volunteers dressed up as a banana, a carrot and a bunch of grapes in order
to promote healthy eating among children. The Prince of Wales also visited the
Halifax Public Gardens where he viewed an English Oak Tree planted by his
grandfather King George VI in 1939, before planting an oak sapling himself. His
Royal Highness later met traders and customers at the Seaport Farmers' Market
whilst The Duchess of Cornwall visited the Northbrook Community Centre.
TRH’s then
departed Halifax International Airport to fly the very short distance to the
Province of Prince Edward Island where they were officially met by local dignitaries.
First on The
Prince of Wales schedule was an award ceremony where he was given an honorary
Symons Medal. An award reserved for Canadians who have a positive impact to
Canadian society.
While the Prince of Wales was receiving the award
his wife The Duchess of Cornwall undertook engagements at Prince Edward
retirement home where she saw residents taking part in a pet therapy session
followed by a visit to the Immanuel School which she and The Prince of Wales
had been invited to by the children attending the school.
While in Prince Edward Island they visited the town
of Cornwall, named after the county of the same name which the Prince of Wales
derives his secondary title of Duke of Cornwall before travelling to Bonshaw
Provincial Park where he took part in a traditional First Nations ceremony
called “smudging”.
Later in the day Their Royal Highnesses attend an event,
which included a “drag act” betending to be Queen Elizabeth II that I
personally think, was in bad taste that perhaps can be seen on the faces of
TRH’s. Much has been made of this event not only in Canada but also back in the
United Kingdom.
In the evening Their Royal Highnesses departed
Prince Edward Island on route to the Province of Manitoba where they were again
officially meet by national and local dignitaries.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall were
greeted by students an event to celebrate ‘Aerospace and Innovation in
Manitoba’ at Stevenson Hangar in Winnipeg. Accompanied by HM’s Canadian Prime
Minster and his wife they talked at length to students while learning about the
aerospace industry.
Later in the day the Royal couple paid a visit to
the Assiniboine Park Zoo where the Prince of Wales was offered the opportunity
to feed one of the most famous residents, a polar bear by the name of Hudson,
which of cause the Prince did presumably very carefully.
The Duchess undertook a separate
engagement at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet followed by having tea with the Queen’s
own Rifles.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of
Cornwall then were engaged at an investiture ceremony where the Prince
presented some 14 recipients with the Order of Manitoba that recognizes
outstanding efforts by residents of the Province and activities in support of
the Province.
TRH’s then departed Canada to
return to the United Kingdom.
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