Details of the 2014 Royal Tour of The Princess Royal Unveiled

News Release

October 17, 2014 – Ottawa – Department of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, announced today Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will tour the National Capital Region on November 10 and 11, 2014.

The theme for this tour is “Canada’s Heroes: A Celebration of Accomplishment and Pride,” and Her Royal Highness will join Canadians and the world in marking the anniversaries of the start of both World Wars. During the two-day tour, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Laurence will participate in the National Remembrance Day Ceremony activities at the National War Memorial. The Memorial, originally built as a tribute to those Canadians who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War, was unveiled 75 years ago by Her Royal Highness’s grandparents, Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother).

In addition, Her Royal Highness will also meet those individuals many Canadians would consider to be everyday heroes, who do outstanding work in and for their communities and country. Her Royal Highness will meet with members of the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association, an organization that uses riding to empower children and adults with disabilities. An expert horsewoman and Olympian, Her Royal Highness is patron of the organization.

To highlight the War of 1812, Vice Admiral Laurence will visit the Crysler’s Farm Battlefield Memorial. The Battle of Crysler’s Farm—fought on November 11, 1813, in Morrisburg, Ontario—was a key battle that saw Aboriginal, Canadian and British forces work together to repel a large invading American army and win the field, despite being outnumbered. The victory at Crysler’s Farm turned the tide of the war.

The full itinerary will be released soon.

Quick Facts

This will be the seventh official tour of Canada for The Princess Royal; her last official tour was in 1991.
In addition to official tours, The Princess Royal has made 13 working visits, where she was invited to events, activities or meetings hosted by private organizations. Her Royal Highness’s last working visit to Canada was in 2013.
Her Royal Highness has toured the National Capital Region three times: January, 1974; November, 1979; and July, 1982.
The Princess Royal is Colonel-in-Chief of seven Canadian regiments.

Quotes

“I invite Canadians of all ages to learn more about the work of The Princess Royal in Canada and follow the Royal Tour this fall as we mark Canada’s Heroes: A Celebration of Canadian Accomplishment and Pride. Together, as we move ever closer to the 150^th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, we will highlight and cherish those milestones that made us the strong, proud and free country we are today.

—The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages