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Royal Tours of Canada

Article by Carolyn Harris

Published Online December 6, 2012

Last Edited March 10, 2023

There have been royal tours of British North America , then Canada, since the late 18th century. Early tours focused on the relationship between the monarchy and the military , while later tours included diplomacy, philanthropy, and the Crown ’s relationship with Indigenous peoples .

Early Royal Tours

In the 18th century, two of King George III’s sons visited British North America during their respective naval and military careers. Prince William, the Duke of Clarence (the future King William IV), visited Newfoundland as captain of the HMS Pegasus in 1786. Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent ( Queen Victoria ’s father), was posted to Halifax and Quebec City and toured what is now Ontario in the 1790s. He was named commander-in-chief of the British North American forces in May 1799 but left the following year due to ill health. The Duke of Kent was the first public figure to describe both English and French Canadians as “all his Britannic Majesty’s Canadian subjects.” Prince Edward Island is named in his honour.

Queen Victoria’s Family

Prime Minister John A. Macdonald invited Queen Victoria to open Canada’s first post- Confederation parliament on 1 July 1867. However, she declined and never visited Canada in person. Her son, the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), and her grandson, the Duke of Cornwall and York (the future King George V), made high-profile tours of Canada in 1860 and 1901, respectively. These tours were organized to acknowledge Canadian contributions to the Crimean War (1853–56) and the Second Boer War (1899–1902). They also provided a framework for future tours, including speeches, meetings with First Nations representatives, visits to prominent Canadian sites, gift exchanges and philanthropy. The presence of the Duchess of Cornwall of York (the future Queen Mary) on the 1901 tour led to greater recognition for Canadian women’s organizations and more social events with both men and women.

Resident Royalty

In addition to tours, royalty have lived in Canada for extended periods of time. Queen Victoria ’s son-in-law, Lord Lorne , and daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta , lived at Rideau Hall for long periods during Lorne’s term as governor general (1878–83) and made the first royal tour of British Columbia in 1882. Queen Victoria’s third son, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught , served as governor general from 1911 to 1916 and lived in Ottawa with his wife Margaret, Duchess of Connaught . His daughter, Princess Patricia , became honorary colonel-in-chief of Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry Regiment during the First World War . Patricia’s cousin, Princess Alice of Albany, Countess of Athlone , was vice regal consort from 1940 to 1946, while her husband, the Earl of Athlone , was governor general. Royal tours by the Connaughts and the Athlones focused on the military, wartime charities and preparations for war.

King Edward VIII

As Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VIII first visited Canada in 1919 to acknowledge Canadian contributions to the First World War . During the 1919 tour, Edward purchased a ranch in Alberta , which he kept after his abdication as king in 1936 and did not sell until 1962. Edward made official visits to Canada and private visits to his ranch in the 1920s and 1930s, achieving celebrity status. The prince, his Canadian tours and his ranch are mentioned in novels by Canadian authors, including Robertson Davies , Lucy Maud Montgomery and Timothy Findley . Edward was the first member of the royal family to describe himself as a Canadian on his tours of Canada. In a 1919 speech in Calgary , he stated, “I came to Canada as a Canadian in mind and spirit.”

The 1939 Royal Tour

King George VI was the first reigning monarch to tour Canada. In 1939 , he and his wife, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) , travelled across the country by train and made a four-day visit to the United States. It was one of the most popular royal tours in Canadian history and reinforced critical Anglo-Canadian and Anglo-American relations on the eve of the  Second World War .

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II is the most traveled monarch in history and has visited Canada on more than 22 occasions, including the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, Canada’s Centennial and Expo 67 in 1967, the Montreal Olympics in 1976, and the patriation of the Canadian Constitution in 1982. During these tours, she has acted in her official capacity as Queen of Canada, opening Parliament for the first time in 1957 and delivering the Speech from the Throne in 1977. The Queen’s most recent visit to Canada was in 2010, when she and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated Canada Day on Parliament Hill. At a 2010 official dinner at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto , Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a hockey -themed speech that praised the Queen as Canada’s “Most Valuable Player.”

Modern Royal Tours

Since the mid-1990s, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh , the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall ( Charles and Camilla ), and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ( William and Catherine ) have made official visits to Canada, where they are formally invited and received by the prime minister . Other members of the royal family make working or private visits organized at the provincial level with their charities and military patronages in Canada. Recent official visits include Charles and Camilla’s visit to Nunavut , Ontario and the National Capital Region to mark the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation in 2017, William and Catherine’s 2011 tour of Ontario, Quebec , Prince Edward Island , the Northwest Territories and Alberta (their first overseas tour as a married couple) and their 2016 tour of British Columbia and the Yukon with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Recent working visits include Prince Harry ’s visit to Toronto in 2017 in his capacity as patron of Invictus Games (his first public appearance with his future wife, Meghan ). Sophie, Countess of Wessex (now Duchess of Edinburgh), visited Toronto in 2019, touring hospitals where she is patron and promoting a new initiative to support women in financial careers. Royal tours were suspended temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.

Interested in the monarchy?

Further Reading

Philip Buckner, Canada and the End of Empire (2004)

Arthur Bousfield and Garry Toffoli, Home to Canada: Royal Tours 1786-2010  (2010)

Ian Radforth, Royal Spectacle: The 1860 Visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada and the United States (2004)

External Links

The Royal Visit A video documentary of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Royal Tour of Canada in 1939. From the National Film Board of Canada.

CANADIAN TOUR OF HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES Watch an extended video featuring scenes from the 1919 cross-Canada tour of HRH The Prince of Wales. From British Pathé on YouTube.

Recommended

Constitutional monarchy, king charles iii, camilla, queen consort, prince william (hrh the prince of wales), catherine (hrh the princess of wales), prince harry (the duke of sussex), meghan (the duchess of sussex).

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The 2022 Royal Tour itinerary

Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will tour Canada from May 17 to 19, 2022.

Their Royal Highnesses will visit:

• St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on May 17
• Canada’s Capital Region on May 18
• Yellowknife and Dettah, Northwest Territories on May 19

Program is subject to change.

13:30 - Administrative arrival to Canada

Their Royal Highnesses arrive in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, for the 2022 Royal Tour to Canada and are greeted by dignitaries. This is the 19th tour to Canada for His Royal Highness and the 5th for Her Royal Highness.

13:55 - Official Welcome Ceremony to Canada at Confederation Building

Their Royal Highnesses are officially welcomed to Canada and to Newfoundland and Labrador, in the presence of Indigenous Leaders at Confederation Building, which houses the Legislative Assembly of the province.

The public ceremony will feature military honours including the breaking of the personal flag of His Royal Highness for use in Canada and an inspection of the guard of honour. It will also feature a prayer in Inuktitut and Mi’Kmaq music, as well as lively performances showcasing the province’s rich tradition of song and story. The event will also include official addresses by dignitaries and His Royal Highness. Additionally, Their Royal Highnesses will sign the Government of Canada Golden Book and the Newfoundland and Labrador Guestbook.

14:50 - Visit to Government House

Their Royal Highnesses will visit Government House, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Her Honour The Honourable Judy M. Foote, to participate in various events.

Their Royal Highnesses will first take part in a solemn moment of reflection and prayer at the  Heart Garden with Indigenous Leaders and community members in the spirit of Reconciliation. Heart Gardens are in memory of all Indigenous children who were lost to the residential school system, in recognition of those who survived, and the families of both.

His Royal Highness will then meet with representatives of  Campaign for Wool Canada , launched in Canada during Their Royal Highnesses’ 2014 Royal Tour, and engage with a knitting circle of longtime  NONIA  knitters, a century-old non-profit organization with historical ties to Government House, to discuss Canada’s wool industry through Newfoundland and Labrador artistry.

Joined by community members, Their Royal Highnesses will unveil a bronze marker at the start of the new  Commonwealth Walkway  on the grounds of Government House, a Platinum Jubilee commemorative project.

15:50 - Visit to Quidi Vidi Village

Their Royal Highnesses will wrap up their first day in Canada at the picturesque Quidi Vidi Village, a fishing village located in the east end of St. John’s.

They will visit the  Quidi Vidi Village Artisan Studios , an arts-based business incubator which assists emerging craftspeople and provides guidance in turning their handmade products into a sustainable business. There they will meet with talented makers and participate in a collective work of rug-hooking, a traditional craft of Atlantic Canada which reuses old clothing and textile.

During a walkabout of The Wharf , Their Royal Highnesses will then have a chance to enjoy local entertainment and to stop and chat with local vendors and members of the community.

Finally, they will visit  Quidi Vidi Brewery , a local micro-brewery that brews, among other styles, a unique beer made from 20,000-year-old water harvested from icebergs which migrate seasonally to Newfoundland and Labrador. In addition to learning about this unique brewing process, Their Royal Highnesses will meet with representatives of Newfoundland and Labrador’s emerging culinary and food scene.

Farewells and administrative departure from Newfoundland and Labrador

Their Royal Highnesses depart St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador for Ottawa, Ontario.

Administrative arrival in Canada’s Capital Region

Their Royal Highnesses arrive in Ottawa, Ontario and are welcomed by dignitaries.

Order of Military Merit Investiture Ceremony

His Royal Highness will be invested as an Extraordinary Commander of the Order of Military Merit by the Governor General of Canada, accompanied by the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. This ceremony at Rideau Hall will also mark the 50th anniversary of the Order of Military Merit, created in 1972 to recognize distinctive merit and exceptional service by the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces.

10:50 - National War Memorial Wreath Laying Ceremony

To honour Canadian veterans and active service members, Their Royal Highnesses will participate in a ceremony at the National War Memorial which will include a bugle performance of the Last Post followed by one minute of silence and the Rouse; a piper playing the Lament, and the laying of a wreath and bouquet by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

Meeting with the Ukrainian community at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa

Their Royal Highnesses will meet with members and organizations from the Canadian Ukrainian community to learn about their stories and Canada’s efforts to support the people of Ukraine. Their Royal Highnesses will take part in a traditional prayer service, learn about Ukrainian culture and speak with representatives from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

Visit of Assumption Elementary School in Vanier

Their Royal Highnesses will visit Assumption Elementary School to engage with children, parents and teachers. Her Royal Highness will speak with students about their favourite books with a focus on the importance of literacy. His Royal Highness will engage with parents of students, many of whom are new arrivals to Canada. His Royal Highness will also speak with organizations that provide support services to newcomers in both official languages.

Visit of the RCMP Musical Ride

Their Royal Highnesses will visit the home of the world-famous Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Musical Ride to meet the riders, walk through the stables and watch a special performance of the Ride. His Royal Highness was appointed Honorary Commissioner of the RCMP in 2012.

Birds Foundation Meeting

His Royal Highness will meet with young women who have settled in Canada after fleeing the recent conflict in Afghanistan, as well as representatives of the 30 Birds Foundation program that aided their resettlement.

Discussion on employment and sustainability with Prince's Trust Canada program participants

Prince’s Trust Canada will highlight its skill development and employment programs which support veterans and young people to explore, prepare for and gain access to purposeful green jobs for a sustainable world. His Royal Highness will meet program participants including veterans who have started their own businesses, young people who have overcome barriers to secure employment, and partners who make the impact possible.

Bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada

His Royal Highness will meet with The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, at Rideau Hall.

Discussion on sustainable finance in combating climate change and building a net-zero economy

His Royal Highness will have a dialogue with Canadian stakeholders on the importance of sustainable finance in combating climate change and building a net-zero economy. The dialogue will take stock of progress to date and exchange views on opportunities to grow sustainable finance in Canada and internationally.

Bilateral meeting with the Governor General of Canada

His Royal Highness will meet with Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, at Rideau Hall.

Platinum Jubilee reception at Rideau Hall

Their Royal Highnesses will attend a special evening reception at Rideau Hall, hosted by the Governor General of Canada, to celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee and bring together Canadians from various backgrounds who, like Her Majesty, have dedicated their lives to serving their communities.

Farewells and administrative departure from Canada’s Capital Region

Their Royal Highnesses will be bid farewell by dignitaries and will depart Ottawa, Ontario, for Yellowknife and Dettah, Northwest Territories.

Administrative arrival in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Their Royal Highnesses arrive in Yellowknife for their last day of the 2022 Royal Tour and are welcomed by dignitaries.

14:35 - Visit to Yellowknives Dene First Nation Community in Dettah

Their Royal Highnesses will visit Dettah, a thriving Dene First Nation community, located 25 km from Yellowknife, to take part in various community events and experience local culture and traditions. This will include a welcome from Indigenous leaders from across the Northwest Territories, an opening prayer, a drumming circle and a feeding the fire ceremony.

His Royal Highness will also participate in a discussion with local Chiefs and Elders, while Her Royal Highness visits Kaw Tay Whee School to learn about the school’s culturally responsive programming and its efforts to preserve their language.

Celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Canadian Rangers

At Fred Henne Territorial Park, His Royal Highness will meet with members of the Canadian Rangers to mark the organization’s 75th anniversary, witness demonstrations and be appointed an Honorary Canadian Ranger.

Visit to a transitional housing centre

Her Royal Highness will visit a YWCA transitional housing centre for women and their children that offers a stable, safe and affordable place to call home.

Discussion with climate change experts at Dettah Ice Road

During a walk next to the Dettah Ice Road, Her Royal Highness will meet with local experts to discuss the impact of climate change in the Northwest Territories and the importance of Indigenous-led initiatives to address these challenges.

Visit of the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

At the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, His Royal Highness will meet with local food producers exploring innovative ways to face environmental challenges in the food production sector in Northern Canada and to discuss entrepreneurship in the context of the pandemic.

His Royal Highness will also take part in a discussion on Treaty 11, its history and its legacy in the Northwest Territories, as well as observe a demonstration of traditional Inuit sports. Her Royal Highness will learn about traditional crafts from local Indigenous artisans.

18:05 - Platinum Jubilee Celebration at the Ceremonial Circle

Their Royal Highnesses will proceed to the Ceremonial Circle for a Platinum Jubilee Celebration, including a raising of the Canadian Platinum Jubilee flag, a presentation of various plants and flowers – and their symbolism – that will be included in the Northwest Territories’ Platinum Jubilee Garden, and the unveiling of a plaque.

18:45 – Official Departure from Canada

Their Royal Highnesses are bid farewell by dignitaries. They are honoured with a Departure Guard.

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