Daily BrewPrince Charles is coming to Canada and bringing with him memories of King George VI
The concept of tradition can mean different things to different people. For some, tradition signifies a link to the past and a celebration of those roots and bonds. For others, it can stir images of dusty ceremonies and dull social contracts, and even a glorification of antiquated concepts from a bygone time.
A person's position on the idea of tradition likely plays a large part in their opinion of Canada's link to the Royal Family generally, and specifically the latest visit by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.
Charles and Camilla arrive in Canada on Sunday to celebrate a Victoria Day long weekend touring Atlantic Canada and Manitoba. This isn't a visit meant to pave new roads or elicit new excitement and interest – for that the Royals tend to send Will and Kate. No, this is about tradition, revisiting old times and old relationships. Specifically, it is a return to the historic 1939 visit of King George VI – the first visit to Canada by a reigning monarch.
Charles and Camilla are scheduled to arrive in Halifax on Sunday evening and embark on a tour of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba over the course of three whirlwind days. They will tour public gardens, present medals and meet with members of the public.
Even the idea of members of the Royal Family touring the country, mixing and mingling with Canadians, is enough to evoke images of tradition and history.
Kevin MacLeod, the Canadian secretary to the Queen, said recently that meeting members of the Royal Family is an experience that stays with people, and one they tend to share with their children and grandchildren.
"You recognize that what you are witnessing is not just a special moment for that one person. What you are witnessing is a moment you know will transcend generations and decades," says MacLeod.
"That person, that young boy who met Prince William in 2011, will probably one day say to his grandchildren, 'I remember meeting the king when he was 28 years old.'"
Indeed, even the youngest members of the Royal Family are common visitors to Canada. Charles is particularly well-heeled when it comes to visiting our country. This is his 17th visit to the country, and it is the third he has taken with Camilla. In fact, the couple has made three trips to Canada in the past six years.
There will be firsts during this trip. For example, Charles will feed a polar bear during his visit to Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park Zoo and its new "Journey to Churchill" exhibit.
Dwight MacAuley, Manitoba’s chief of protocol, told CTV News that Hudson the polar bear is still preparing for his brush with royalty.
“Hudson’s the toughest guy so far to deal with,” he said. “We’re hoping he behaves himself and does exactly as we want him to do... but it’s going to be really exciting to have the prince feed the polar bear.”
There's another first – a pigeon culling controversy surrounding the couple's visit to Pictou, N.S. Locals are accusing the local government of killing pigeons en mass ahead of the Royal visit, by boarding up the broken windows of derelict downtown buildings, and apparently trapping birds inside.
The flap has become so serious that the town was forced to release a statement assuring the public that exit points would be installed to keep the birds safe.
Pigeons and polar bears aside, this weekend's visit will be one steeped in tradition and protocol.
Among the highlights of the couple's trip will be a Victoria Day visit to the Halifax Public Gardens, during which Charles and Camilla will take a tour of the grounds and plant an oak tree.
That tree will be adjacent to a ceremonial oak tree planted by Charles's grandfather, King George VI, in 1939.
The 1939 Royal Tour of Canada is a significant one, having been intended to solidify the relationship between Canada and Britain ahead of World War II. It was also the first time a reigning monarch visited Canada.
While Charles is not a reigning monarch, it is perhaps only a matter of time. Queen Elizabeth II, his mother, is now 88 years old and can't stay on the throne forever. Despite the results of some polls suggesting the popularity of the monarchy would be best served by making William the next king, it is Charles who will inherit the throne upon the his mother’s death.
In anticipation of the visit by Charles and Camilla, the Monarchist League of Canada published a list of frequently asked questions, which explains that Charles will make a wonderful King of Canada, when the time comes.
"He has had the benefit of a lifetime of training for the position: the shining example of a beloved Queen, a practical and far-reaching mind which embraces so many concerns of Canadians, decades of familiarity with Canadians’ concerns and, more recently, the development of the Prince of Wales’ Charities in Canada, which is the umbrella group, similar to the Prince’s Trust in the UK, which advances many of his interests in the Canadian context," the group writes.
Similarities to the 1939 Royal Tour do not end at an oak tree in Halifax. The couple will visit Charlottetown and Winnipeg, just as King George VI did 75 years earlier.
While in Winnipeg, Camilla will take in a performance of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. As luck would have it, the storied Canadian institution was founded in 1939 and, in 1953, received the first royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth II, making it the first Royal ballet company of the Commonwealth.
The Royal Canadian Mint has also printed a set of coins honouring the 75th anniversary of the 1939 Canadian visit by King George VI, which will be presented to Charles during the tour.
Yes, this visit by Prince Charles to Canada has more than a few connections to the 1939 visit by King George VI. Prince Charles will follow in his footsteps as he crosses the country, tightly binding ties made 75 years ago.
Someday, Charles will follow in his grandfather's footsteps and assume the throne. That, too, is tradition.
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