The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have just completed their Platinum Jubilee visit to Canada from May 17th to the 19th, during which they visited Newfoundland and Labrador, the Capital Region of Ottawa and the Northwest Territories, on their first visit to Canada since 2017.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall have arrived in Newfoundland and Labrador to begin #RoyalVisitCanada! 🇨🇦
Le prince de Galles et la duchesse de Cornouailles sont arrivés à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador pour débuter leur #VisiteRoyaleCanada! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/gMHqg3j5gh
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 17, 2022
Embed from Getty Images
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall have arrived in Newfoundland and Labrador to begin #RoyalVisitCanada! 🇨🇦
Le prince de Galles et la duchesse de Cornouailles sont arrivés à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador pour débuter leur #VisiteRoyaleCanada! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/gMHqg3j5gh
As the visit takes “us from the newest member of Confederation to among the oldest communities in the North – and to a much-storied capital at the heart of a great nation – my wife and I look forward to listening to you and learning about the future you are working to build.” pic.twitter.com/69HJYDQnIw
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 17, 2022
As the visit takes “us from the newest member of Confederation to among the oldest communities in the North – and to a much-storied capital at the heart of a great nation – my wife and I look forward to listening to you and learning about the future you are working to build.” pic.twitter.com/69HJYDQnIw
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 17, 2022Embed from Getty Images🌳 1km in distance, winding through more than 50 commemorative trees, and in celebration of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, Newfoundland & Labrador is developing a Commonwealth Walkway, which will encompass trees for The @QGCanopy. pic.twitter.com/FAw017Tqh6
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 17, 2022
🌳 1km in distance, winding through more than 50 commemorative trees, and in celebration of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, Newfoundland & Labrador is developing a Commonwealth Walkway, which will encompass trees for The @QGCanopy. pic.twitter.com/FAw017Tqh6
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 17, 2022
Embed from Getty ImagesQuidi Vidi’s Brewery is the oldest craft brewery and the third-largest brewer in Newfoundland. 🍻
Over 25 different brews are offered year round - the most renowned being Iceberg beers, created from 20,000 year-old iceberg water from the coast of Newfoundland & Labrador! pic.twitter.com/D3MGGyAF0h
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 17, 2022
Quidi Vidi’s Brewery is the oldest craft brewery and the third-largest brewer in Newfoundland. 🍻
Over 25 different brews are offered year round - the most renowned being Iceberg beers, created from 20,000 year-old iceberg water from the coast of Newfoundland & Labrador! pic.twitter.com/D3MGGyAF0h
After their arrival in St. John’s, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were officially welcomed to Canada in the presence of Indigenous Leaders at Confederation Building, at which the Prince gave a speech. Afterwards, the Royal Coupe visited Government House, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, to 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, followed by a meeting with representatives of Campaign for Wool Canada, and the unveiling of a bronze marker at the start of the new Commonwealth Walkway. The Prince and Duchess ended their first day with a visit to the Quidi Vidi Village, seeing the Artisan Studios, before a walkabout of The Wharf, and a visit to the Quidi Vidi Brewery, before the Royal Couple departed for Ottawa.
Embed from Getty ImagesUnveiled by King George VI in 1939, the memorial symbolises the sacrifice of all Canadian Armed Forces serving in time of war in the cause of peace and freedom - past, present and future.
In 1951, the Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh laid a wreath at the memorial. pic.twitter.com/toc95QmaOe
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 19, 2022
Embed from Getty Images
Unveiled by King George VI in 1939, the memorial symbolises the sacrifice of all Canadian Armed Forces serving in time of war in the cause of peace and freedom - past, present and future.
In 1951, the Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh laid a wreath at the memorial. pic.twitter.com/toc95QmaOe
Embed from Getty ImagesIt wouldn’t be #RoyalVisitCanada without a quick tasting at a traditional Maple Country Sugar Bush stall! 🍬 pic.twitter.com/3L35TMaQ6Q
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 18, 2022
It wouldn’t be #RoyalVisitCanada without a quick tasting at a traditional Maple Country Sugar Bush stall! 🍬 pic.twitter.com/3L35TMaQ6Q
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 18, 2022
Embed from Getty Images📚 The Duchess was taken on a tour of the school - visiting classrooms of children learning Literacy and French. Continuez votre bon travail! #RoyalVisitCanada #VisiteRoyaleCanada pic.twitter.com/Z7jr8xq7cn
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 18, 2022
Embed from Getty Images
📚 The Duchess was taken on a tour of the school - visiting classrooms of children learning Literacy and French. Continuez votre bon travail! #RoyalVisitCanada #VisiteRoyaleCanada pic.twitter.com/Z7jr8xq7cn
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 18, 2022
What a performance! 🤩🐎
Fantastic to sit alongside Ottawa and Gatineau’s first responders to watch a Musical Ride by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. #RoyalVisitCanada pic.twitter.com/udA1JkBgz3
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 18, 2022
What a performance! 🤩🐎
Fantastic to sit alongside Ottawa and Gatineau’s first responders to watch a Musical Ride by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. #RoyalVisitCanada pic.twitter.com/udA1JkBgz3
Their Excellencies were honoured to host Their Royal Highnesses during a special reception @RideauHall to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s momentous #PlatinumJubilee.#RoyalVisitCanada@TheCrownCa pic.twitter.com/HIzXIvTYZy
— Governor General of Canada (@GGCanada) May 19, 2022
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Their Excellencies were honoured to host Their Royal Highnesses during a special reception @RideauHall to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s momentous #PlatinumJubilee.#RoyalVisitCanada@TheCrownCa pic.twitter.com/HIzXIvTYZy
— Governor General of Canada (@GGCanada) May 19, 2022On their second day in Canada, the Prince of Wales was invested as an Extraordinary Commander of the Order of Military Merit by the Governor General of Canada, before a National War Memorial Wreath Laying Ceremony and a meeting with the Ukrainian community at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa. In the afternoon, the Prince and Duchess visited the Assumption Elementary School in Vanier, the RCMP Musical Ride, and had a meeting with the Birds Foundation before a discussion on employment and sustainability with Prince’s Trust Canada program participants and a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada, as well as a discussion on sustainable finance in combating climate change and building a net-zero economy. In the evening, Mary Simon, the Governor General of Canada, hosted a Platinum Jubilee Reception for Canadians from various backgrounds at Rideau Hall.
Dettah is the Yellowknives Dene First Nation community in the Northern region of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories.
Their Royal Highnesses met First Nation leaders and members of the community, before participating in a sacred Feeding the Fire Ceremony. pic.twitter.com/qo8QEnV1MF
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 19, 2022
Embed from Getty Images
Dettah is the Yellowknives Dene First Nation community in the Northern region of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories.
Their Royal Highnesses met First Nation leaders and members of the community, before participating in a sacred Feeding the Fire Ceremony. pic.twitter.com/qo8QEnV1MF
The Canadian Rangers, part of the @CanadianForces, protect Canada by conducting patrols; reporting unusual activities; collecting local data; performing national security duties; assisting in search and rescue; and assisting with natural disasters. pic.twitter.com/Q9XymzPl1S
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 19, 2022
Embed from Getty Images
The Canadian Rangers, part of the @CanadianForces, protect Canada by conducting patrols; reporting unusual activities; collecting local data; performing national security duties; assisting in search and rescue; and assisting with natural disasters. pic.twitter.com/Q9XymzPl1S
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 19, 2022Wıìlıìdeh is one of the two traditional languages spoken by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
To help revitalise daily use of the Indigenous dialect, the school is challenging staff and students to use Wıìlıìdeh during the school day and at home with family and friends. pic.twitter.com/0McmoyrTPZ
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 20, 2022
Wıìlıìdeh is one of the two traditional languages spoken by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
To help revitalise daily use of the Indigenous dialect, the school is challenging staff and students to use Wıìlıìdeh during the school day and at home with family and friends. pic.twitter.com/0McmoyrTPZ
On their final day in Canada, the Prince and Duchess traveled to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, being their visit with various events with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation Community in Dettah, includeing a welcome from Indigenous leaders from across the Northwest Territories, an opening prayer, a drumming circle and a feeding the fire ceremony, after which the Prince had a discussion with local Chiefs and Elders, while the Duchess visited the Kaw Tay Whee School. The Prince then men with members of the Canadian Rangers to mark the organization’s 75th anniversary at Fred Henne Territorial Park while the Duchess visited a YWCA transitional housing centre for women and their children and had a discussion with climate change experts at Dettah Ice Road; The Prince visited the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre before going to the Ceremonial Circle for a Platinum Jubilee Celebration and a presentation of various plants and flowers that will be included in the Northwest Territories’ Platinum Jubilee Garden. The Prince and Duchess then had a guard of honour and an official farewell as they ended their whirlwind tour.
This whirlwind Royal Tour is representative of the changing role of the Canadian Monarchy. Previous Royal Tours to Canada used to be extensive visits across the country, or of at least a few provinces, but the fact that the Prince and Duchess visited two Provinces and a Territory within three days (in their 70s), is quite extraordinary. There were unexpectedly large crowds in Canada reaffirming their support for the Monarchy, yet there were also signs of a transition, especially with the increased focus on Indigenous People and Reconciliation, a feature especially present due to the new Canadian Governor General who is the first Indigenous person to be the Queen’s representative in Canada. Additionally, there is a move away from more traditional displays of royal pageantry, like carriage rides and banquets, which while unfortunate for those of us who enjoy the pageantry, is a sign of the Royal Family adapting the visit with the demands of the hosts.
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