Hundreds welcome Prince Charles, Camilla

Whirlwind afternoon focuses on reconciliation, sustainability

As Prince Charles inspected the guard of honour outside the Confederation Building on a crisp spring Tuesday, May 17, the marching band played Great Big Sea’s “Ordinary Day,” but it was certainly not an ordinary day in St. John’s.

The capital city was visited by a host of dignitaries, including Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who were there to mark the beginning of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s whirlwind three-day Canadian tour in celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee, marking 70 years of her reign.

Hundreds of royal admirers and curious onlookers gathered to catch a glimpse, or even shake a hand, of the royals as they made stops at the Confederation Building, Government House and Quidi Vidi Village during their nearly four-hour visit to the city.

It was a jam-packed few hours with a specific focus on reconciliation and sustainability.

At Confederation Building, the welcome ceremony included performances by Deantha Edmunds, the first Inuk classical soloist in Canada; The Once; Rum Ragged; Paul Pike; and The Ennis Sisters.

Lined up the steps to the Confederation Building were about 100 to 200 schoolchildren. They squealed with delight when they saw Prince Charles and Camilla, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

L’ecole des Grands-vents Grade 6 student Benjamin Abrard said he didn’t know a lot about the royal family, but his school was invited to welcome them outside the Confederation Building.

“It’s a good opportunity, like once in a lifetime maybe, so I was actually pretty excited to come here,” he said.

That was a common refrain. Many people who waited for hours in the afternoon to see the couple said they felt it was a historic chance to meet members of the royal family, and a future king.

Memorial University students Laura Lofner and Emily Graham happened to meet while in the crowd. Lofner, who is from Germany, is studying at Memorial University for the next three months, and Graham, a Newfoundlander, both said they came to the welcome event mainly for historical reasons and not particularly to support the royal family.

“It’s kind of cool, a oncein-a-lifetime thing,” Graham said. “I’m glad I came. It was nice to see them in person.”

“I thought it would be really fun, and it’s a moment I will remember for the rest of my life,” added Lofner.

PRINCE CHARLES’ SPEECH

Inside the Confederation Building for the official welcome ceremony, the seated crowd was mostly politicians, but from the third floor mezzanine, about two dozen people, mostly schoolchildren, looked down and waved small Newfoundland and Labrador and Canadian flags. Among them were some recently arrived Ukrainian refugees.

They watched as Prince Charles gave his first of the four speeches he will make during the royal tour.

He spoke about the trips Queen Elizabeth made to Canada over the years, many of which occurred during otherwise historic moments, such as when she opened the St. Lawrence seaway to commercial traffic in 1959, and when she proclaimed the Constitution Act in 1982.

“At these defining moments, and many others like them, the Queen was with you as Canada’s history was written,” he said.

He said it’s during his family’s visits that he has seen time and again what makes Canada great: the people, and what we stand for, noting our diversity and generosity.

Speaking in French, he said today the country defends liberty and opposes tyranny just like it did during the Second World War when Canada was integral to the liberation of Europe. He said Canadians continue to fight the biggest problems of our times, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, famine in Sudan, destruction of forests in the Amazon and climate change.

He called it particularly apt that the unifying theme for the jubilee is the celebration of people and service.

“Service to family, to community and to country. If I may say so, this goes to the heart of what makes Canada so special, and what my family and I have long admired so greatly about this country. It is seen in acts of kindness every day in communities big and small, from coast to coast to coast, on the part of health-care workers and first responders, teachers, community leaders, military personnel and veterans.

“It is demonstrated by the many Canadians who have opened their homes to those seeking refuge from conflicts around the world. It is made manifest by Canada’s determination to be a force of good in our world.”

FOCUS ON RECONCILIATION

At Government House, the prince and duchess visited the Heart Garden, participating in a moment of reflection with the province’s Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors.

After a smudging ceremony by Miawpukek First Nation Chief Mi’sel Joe, Qalipu First Nation Chief Brendan Mitchell and Mi’kmaw musician Paul Pike, Nunatukavut Community Council President Todd Russell said a prayer for the children lost to the residential school system, those who survived and their families.

“We take time today to reflect on what happened and why it happened, and to make commitments to ensure these tragic experiences are never repeated,” Russell said.

Bishop Field Elementary School students planted paper hearts in the garden, each one representing a child lost to the residential school system, as a group of Inuit drummers performed.

Award-winning musical group Eastern Owl performed a poignant rendition of their song, “Baby.”

“We wrote it after hearing speeches from residential school survivors about their experience,” group member Stacey Howse told Saltwire Network.

“We felt that it needed to be shared today because there are residential school survivors in attendance, and it’s important to acknowledge the harm that was done by residential schools and the lasting effects and intergenerational trauma that is still experienced today.”

The royal couple greeted each of the survivors present at the event.

Inside Government House, Prince Charles met with Newfoundland Outport Nursing and Industrial Association (NONIA) knitters as part of the royal couple’s Campaign for Wool, designed to raise awareness about the benefits of the textile.

On the grounds outside, they unveiled a bronze marker at the start of the new Commemorative Commonwealth Walkway that winds a kilometre around the many trees on the property that have been planted over the years by visiting dignitaries. An ivory silk lilac tree was planted to commemorate this royal visit.

“Look after the tree,” Prince Charles joked with the crowd after he shovelled some soil.

Perhaps the youngest person to meet Prince Charles during his St. John’s tour was five-month-old Mia Whitcomb, though she slept through the meeting.

Her parents, however, were jubilant. Duncan Whitcomb and Nane Martinez said the prince shook their hands and was genuinely friendly as he asked them questions about Mia.

Martinez said it will be a story to tell her daughter about how she slept through meeting the future King of England.

SMALL PROTEST

The couple ended the first day of their Canadian tour in Quidi Vidi Village, where they visited the Quidi Vidi Village Artisan Studios, met with local artisans and took part in a collective rug-hooking project. They also learned about how the studios support local artists to create sustainable businesses.

Back outside, they were greeted with the smell of french fries from a collection of food trucks and a crowd of people vying to get a snap of the couple on their phone.

A small group of protesters gathered outside the building as the couple exited.

“Imagine being so concerned about a bloodline when there are people starving,” one man said.

The couple stopped briefly at Quidi Vidi Sweet Spot for ice cream before continuing on a walkabout, serenaded by the Celtic Fiddlers. They were joined by local actor, comedian and writer Mark Critch, who walked them to Quidi Vidi Brewery.

Linda Hennebury, well known as the owner of Quidi Vidi’s Inn of Olde, waited for more than three hours to meet Prince Charles and present him with her own painting of the area.

A longtime fan of the royal family — having grown up with an English grandmother and plenty of exposure to British newspapers, she said — Hennebury beamed as Charles stopped to speak with her during the walkabout and told her that he would accept the gift.

Hennebury was still smiling after the royal entourage passed.

“Bonnie Prince Charlie,” she said.

She told Saltwire Network she makes a point to be in the crowd any time a member of the royal family visits, and met Charles once before, in 2009.

“It’s a pleasure. Every time between visits you think maybe you won’t be here (next time). The older you get, the more you believe it,” Hennebury said with a laugh.

What did she and Prince Charles chat about in their brief exchange Tuesday? She wished him good luck and gave him some advice.

“I told him to take care of his mother,” she said. “Kiss her and hug her, I told him. He said, ‘I surely will.’”