The Royal Tour of Canada - Day Four and Five

Aside from the Vancouver Olympics, where is the best place to put your Canadian pride on display? In our nation's capital on the 143rd birthday of Canada! To top it all off we had the Queen of Canada to celebrate right along with us!

The Queen arrived in an open, horse-drawn landau, patriotically dressed in a red chiffon dress with a diamond maple leaf brooch, and a white hat with red flower. Ladies from the Royal family have been known to provide a compliment to the host country through their fashions and Her Majesty did not disappoint. As a matter of fact she could easily have blended in with the 100,000 flag-waving, revellers dressed in similar colors. I'll bet she doesn't have to worry about that very often.

To signal her arrival The Queen's Personal Canadian Flag was flown from the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill as she took the salute, inspected a Guard of Honor and watched a 21-gun salute, a fly-past and a march-past.

During her speech, which she made in both English and French she praised Canada's 'warmth and enthusiasm" and made reference to the Vancouver Olympics and the gold-medal win for Canada's hockey team.

On day five of the tour, which was meant to be her day-off, The Queen met privately with Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff at Rideau Hall. Mr Ignatieff had this to say after his meeting with her “I have to be discreet. She’s the Queen. I can’t share what she said other than to say she has a magnificent sense of humour and sense of the absurd,” he said.

Oh, if only to have been a fly on the wall...

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Tour of Canada 2010 - Day Two

Continuing their stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia, The Queen and Prince Philip visit coincided with the Celebrations marking the Canadian Naval Centenial - 100 years of proud service by the Royal Canadian Navy. The Queen also has a personal interest in the Royal Canadian Navy. She is patron of The Navy League of Canada, The Royal Canadian Naval Association and The Royal Canadian Naval Benevolent Fund.

The Duke of Edinburgh presented a certificate from the World Ship Trust to Canada's most famous and most decorated warship, HMCS Haida. HMCS Haida, a Tribal class warship built in England in 1941 it was Commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy in 1943. The certificate represents the prestigious International Maritime Heritage Award – bestowed on ships considered important to maritime history and heritage and honoring the legacy of those who served in HMCS Haida.

In the afternoon The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Canada’s largest centre for ocean research. After this visit they board the naval frigate HMSC St John's for the International Fleet Review. This naval pageant featured about 22 foreign ships, each saluting the Queen as she passed by in the HMSC St. John's.

Later on in the day, The Duke of Edinburgh attended a reception with the the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment The Duke of Edinburgh meeting members of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment at Government House. The Duke of Edinburgh acts as Colonel-in-Chief of many units, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment. This long-serving regiment is the only regular force infantry battalion stationed in Atlantic Canada.

In the evening the couple attended a Celebration of Nova Scotia at the Cunard Centre, overlooking the Halifax port.  The evening celebrates Nova Scotians who have made significant contributions to their communities, province and country. These include recipients of the province’s highest honour – the Order of Nova Scotia – as well as the unsung heroes, who work quietly to make their communities better. During the event they were treated to performances by Nova Scotia musicians, dancers and singers. As well a performance by DRUM! a group of artists from Canada's Aboriginal, Black, Celtic and Acadian communities.
© Marilyn Braun 2010

All images via PicApp