Her Majesty The Queen of Canada reopened on 19 February 2015 “Canada House” in London. Accompanied by her husband, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
As Queen of Canada she was greeted by two mounties, in their famous wide brimmed hats and red tunics, sat on horses (named George and Elizabeth respectively) that were gifts to the monarch from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Her Majesty’s Personal Canadian Flag, a symbol of sovereignty, was raised over Canada House upon The Royal Couple’s arrival.
Queen Elizabeth II toured the High Commission, and was presented with a set of keys to the newly revamped building by the recently decommissioned John Baird, former Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs (2011-2015). When King George V first opened the building in 1925, he was presented with a similar set of keys.
To mark the occasion, the building’s atrium – clad in Canadian hemlock and featuring red oak flooring – has been named the Queen Elizabeth Atrium. The High Commission was previously also housed in Macdonald House in Mayfair, but has now been consolidated into Canada House. Macdonald House itself was sold in 2013.
The oldest part of Canada House’s building is the combined former Union Club and the former home of the Royal College of Physicians both built in the 1820s. Sir Robert Smirke who designed the British Museum and Royal Opera House in Covent Garden also built the Union Club. It is located in London’s Trafalgar Square,
High Commissioner Gordon Campbell, a former premier of British Columbia, said in a statement: “We are honoured that Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were able to join us to celebrate the opening of a High Commission that is very dear to Canadians, and that reflects the depth of our friendship with the United Kingdom”.
The High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom is one of Canada’s largest overseas missions, offering a range of services, including consular support, trade promotion, foreign policy and diplomatic services, the Canadian Defence Liaison Staff, and immigration and visa processing.
Back in the Dominion of Canada the country’s Supreme Court refused to hear a case of two legal residents with anti-monarchist opinions who refuse to swear the required oath of allegiance to The Queen and her heirs in order to gain Canadian citizenship.
Government lawyer Kristina Dragaitis argued that the monarchy symbolises the Constitution, the rule of law and the right to dissent. She said, the appellants are taking a “literal approach” to the oath.
Two days before reopening Canada House Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II met for 20 minutes with her personal representative for the Canadian Province of Ontario, The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell on Tuesday, 17 February 2015. Her Honour the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, stayed for lunch at Buckingham Palace, and was introduced to the private secretaries of senior members of the Royal Family. The day after, Her Honour was welcomed in an audience by HRH The Prince of Wales.
In May 2015, Their Majesties The King and Queen of the Netherlands are due to pay a State Visit to Canada at the invitation of the Dominion’s Governor General, David Johnston and his spouse Sharon, who visited The Netherlands in October 2014. The State Visit shall take place from 27 to 29 May in the company of of the Batavian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bert Koenders. The Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Aid, Lilianne Ploumen shall lead an economic mission, and Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Jet Bussemaker, an academic mission.
The State Visit and Dutch missions are being arranged in close collaboration with the ambassador to The Netherlands, HE Mr. James Lambert.
For more information:
Canada’s High Commission in London: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/united_kingdom-royaume_uni/index.aspx?lang=eng
Opening of “Canada House”, 1925: https://twitter.com/BritishMonarchy/status/568351674483527680
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario: http://www.lgontario.ca/en/pages/default.aspx
