Latest news with #royalvisit
CTV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
P.E.I. welcomes a royal visitor
P.E.I. welcomes a royal visitor Prince Edward is attending the 150th anniversary of the Prince Edward Island Regiment.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside the tense moment Meghan Markle made a swift exit from a UN Women event
Seven years on from Meghan Markle 's curt exit from an event in Fiji, one question remains unanswered: why did she leave so early? In October 2018 a clip emerged on social media of the Duchess leaving after just eight minutes. She was due to make a 20-minute visit to the market in Suva, the Fijian capital, to see the work of Markets for Change – a project run by UN Women. The engagement marked day nine of Prince Harry and Meghan's 16-day Commonwealth tour, and was the first full day in the country's capital. The Duke and Duchess had earlier visited the University of South Pacific campus, and Harry unveiled The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy Project and laid a wreath at the Fiji War Memorial. Rumours began to swirl that the Duchess, who had announced her pregnancy at the beginning of the trip, had become unwell due to the heat and humidity. Kensington Palace initially said this was due to 'uncomfortable conditions' but later added that the visit was cut short 'due to crowd management issues'. The market was busy with people, and apparently the crowds were greater than expected. Crowds had gathered outside the market to greet the royal guests, with locals singing songs and children waving flags Meghan was seen whispering to her aides moments before she was whisked away by her bodyguards from the busy marketplace. Footage of the event shows the pregnant Duchess smiling as she is escorted to her waiting vehicle. Crowds had gathered outside the market to greet the royal guests, with locals singing songs and children waving flags. Emily Andrews, The Mail on Sunday's royal editor, was among the members of the press present at the time. She said: 'Many ladies that were told they were going to meet Meghan didn't and voiced their disappointment afterwards.' One onlooker reportedly said Meghan appeared to 'look concerned' before entering and 'looked really disengaged, not her usual self at all'. They told the Mirror: 'She stopped to speak to a pineapple seller on one of the stalls and had a very blank and disengaged look on her face, which is very unlike her. 'It was very hot and humid in there so perhaps it wasn't the best environment for a pregnant woman. 'After speaking for about a minute she broke off and spoke to the same aide again before she was whisked out of the market very soon after.' But in a revised version of his book Battle of Brothers, royal biographer Robert Lacey suggested that the real reason Meghan left so soon was due to the involvement of UN Women. In 2015, before she was dating Prince Harry, Meghan gave a keynote address on gender equality for UN Women in New York. Then an actress in the US legal drama Suits, she received a standing ovation from guests including Ban Ki-moon, then UN secretary-general. Lacey wrote: 'Meghan had rubbed shoulders with the likes of Hillary Clinton and might have hoped to join UN Women's distinguished roster of goodwill ambassadors that included celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Emma Watson. 'But in those pre-Harry days UN Women only assigned the cable actress the lesser role of advocate.' Suggesting that Meghan's swift exit years later was down to what she'd seen as a snub, Lacey quotes a Los Angeles screenwriter who told him: 'Meghan does not cope well with what she perceives as rejection. 'She's nice and smiley as can be until you step in her way or don't give her what she hopes for. Then she can be remorseless – heaven help you!' At the time, an aide said of her early departure: 'It was hot, humid and uncomfortably busy and there were far larger crowds than expected.' However, a source told The Times that her decision to leave was down to UN Women – and that Meghan had only agreed to visit the market if there was no branding for the organisation. Lawyers for the Duchess denied she had left because of the organisation and said she met with other leaders from UN Women later in the tour. After the event it emerged that a reporter who was on the trip saw Meghan 'turn and 'hiss' at a member of her entourage, clearly incandescent with rage about something, and demand to leave'. They wrote: 'I later saw that same – female – highly distressed member of staff sitting in an official car, with tears running down her face. Our eyes met and she lowered hers, humiliation etched on her features. 'At the time I was unable to document anything as I couldn't conclusively link the two incidents together, despite my suspicions. I have subsequently found out from other sources that my instincts were right.' A source told The Times that her decision to leave was down to UN Women – and that Meghan had only agreed to visit the market if there was no branding for the organisation This was not the only controversial moment from their royal visit. Meghan's half-sister, Samantha Markle, branded her sister a 'liar' after she gave a speech about the difficulties of paying to go to university – saying their father paid for her tuition. Meghan gave her first speech as a member of the royal family at the University of the South Pacific's Suva campus in Fiji on October 24, 2018. She discussed the challenges of funding further education, saying she relied on 'scholarships and financial aid programmes' to get through her university degree. But her sister quickly took to Twitter to brand her 'delusional' and a 'liar', saying she 'missed out a very important detail' in her speech. The Duchess was also criticised for wearing a hat during a traditional Fijian welcome ceremony where removing headwear is seen as a sign of respect. While royal observers have speculated on why Meghan left the event so early, the Duchess' commitment to human rights and gender equality have remained a heavy focus of her work. According to the Sussexes' website, this includes her 2022 Archetypes podcast which 'explores the labels that hold women back'. In 2016 she became a global ambassador for the charity World Vision, advocating for vulnerable populations, particularly women and children. And Meghan continues to serve as an Advocate for Political Participation and Leadership for UN Women, a role which she has held since 2014. While she stepped back from some other charitable roles following her engagement to Harry, she remains an advocate for UN Women's work. During her time as a working royal Meghan was criticised for voicing her political beliefs, such as during the inaugural Royal Foundation Forum as she touched on the Time's Up and #MeToo.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- BBC News
All you need to know about King Charles III's visit to Lancaster
King Charles III is to visit Lancaster Castle later, with organisers planning to make the royal visit a "proud day" for the will mark the first time the King, who is also the Duke of Lancaster, has visited Lancashire since he was will close as huge crowds are expected in Lancaster to welcome the monarch, who will be handed the keys to the castle in front of the John O'Gaunt gateway as part in an ancient ceremonial Police said measures have been put in place to manage the influx of well wishers to the city, and warned people they will need to plan ahead to avoid disruption. What will the King do during his visit? King Charles will receive the keys in front of the John O'Gaunt gateway at the entrance to the castle. The structure was built by Henry IV in the 15th century as part of the castle defences and includes a statue of his father John of Gaunt, a key figure in the history of the Duchy of the ceremony, Pam Barker DL, Constable of the Castle, will officially present His Majesty with the King will then meet with local business representatives and attend a reception with a wide range of community from Willow Lane Primary School have been chosen to go to the ceremony and greet his majesty. What roads will be shut? Ch Supt Hassan Khan of Lancashire Police said there will be some disruption to traffic in the is expected to be very busy and people are advised to allow extra time for their will be road closures and diversions in place by Lancaster Castle from about 06:00 and restricted access areas have been created to allow for public viewing and event parking bays on St Mary's Parade will be suspended until 21:00 BST., while Dallas Road car park will be closed from 06:00 until 18:00 except by prior and business owners in the Castle Hill and Castle Park area have been contacted directly with details of alternative expecting deliveries have been told to reschedule for another will not be able to gain access to areas adjacent to St George's Quay due to road closures and the low railway bridge on the quayside. What has the council said? A spokesman for Lancaster City Council said "We appreciate these arrangements may cause some inconvenience and thank you in advance for your cooperation." A range of local organisations are working closely together to make sure the visit is a "proud and memorable moment for the city of Lancaster", he The authority added: "We hope you will take the opportunity to witness this historic occasion, and we thank you for helping to make it a success." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
The unusual gift Prince Edward received from a Canadian leader - and why the Queen called the country her 'second home'
What do you give the person who has it all? This was the question Canadian Premier Gary Doer was faced with when Prince Edward came to visit. As a Commonwealth realm, Canada has a strong relationship with the British Monarchy. The prince met families of Canadian military serving in Afghanistan as part of a three-day visit to Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, as part of a royal tour in June 2008. His visit included meeting with the Premier, military families and presenting awards at the Children's Hospital. The usual gift for such occasions is a soapstone carving which tell stories, preserve cultural traditions and represent important beliefs and values. Famously the Queen was given a gift of five trumpeter swans for her coronation in 1952. But Manitoba's Premier had a gift in mind that would hark back to centuries-old tradition and honour the prince's two young children. The Premier presented the prince with a pair of framed notices naming two lakes in the central Canadian province after his children. Edward had recently welcomed his second child, James – now the Earl of Wessex. Lady Louise was four years old at the time and the children grew up largely out of the spotlight. The gift followed a centuries-old tradition of naming cities and landmarks after royalty. And Manitoba has lakes named after the Queen's six other grandchildren. Also in the province are Lakes Prince William, Prince Henry, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips. Edward was given this gift in honour of his visit to Churchill in northern Manitoba in 1990 For a long time, members of the Royal Family named places in Canada after themselves. Queen Victoria has more namesakes in Canada than any other royal – even though she never visited. And there is another Lake Louise in Canada which was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, Queen Victoria's fourth daughter. She became the first princess to cross the Atlantic Ocean and the province of Alberta is also named for Princess Louise. In 1878, her husband, John Campbell, Lord Lorne, became governor general of Canada and they moved to Ottawa. The couple played a key role in the creation of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and the National Gallery of Canada and took part in the first royal tour of British Columbia. The princess wrote in 1924: 'I am intensely proud of this beautiful and wonderful Province being called after me, and that my husband should have thought of it.' In June 2008, also among the 300 guests keen to catch a glimpse of Edward were two young children from military families who presented the prince with cuddly polar bears for his own children. The Vancouver Sun wrote at the time: 'Recognising that two children – even royal ones – wouldn't have much use for a piece of parchment, Doer also called upon two children of Manitoba soldiers to present the prince with two plush polar bears in honour of his visit to Churchill in northern Manitoba in 1990.' Edward reportedly said he hoped one day his children would get to see a real polar bear in the wilds of northern Manitoba, as he himself had in the past. The prince's mother, the late Queen, loved Canada and often called it her 'second home'. The Queen made 22 official visits to Canada in her 70-year-reign, and one as Princess Elizabeth – more than any other country outside the UK. On her death, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said: 'The Queen had a deep and abiding love and affection for Canadians. 'She was our queen for almost half of Canada's existence and was one of my favorite people in the world.' Perhaps because of this, Edward turned to his mother, who was honorary commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), when it came to picking a gift when he returned to the country the following year. In 2009 he gifted a 16-month-old yellow Labrador called Suzanna to the RCMP, of which the Queen was Commissioner-in-Chief, during a ceremony in Alberta. He said that the Queen picked Suzanna's name in honour of the 1936 novel by Canadian author Muriel Denison. There is a longstanding relationship between the Royal Family and the RCMP. The force gifted eight horses to the Queen since 1969, including four that are still alive today. Her first horse given, presented in 1969, was a black mare named Burmese. Burmese was reportedly her favourite horse, and she rode her at Trooping the Colour for 18 consecutive years, from 1969 to 1986. The four surviving horses – George, Elizabeth, Derby and Sir John, led her funeral procession. But after training as a bomb-sniffing dog, Suzanna retired in 2013 after it became apparent her 'docile temperament' was not a fit for police work. The prince returned to Manitoba with his wife Sophie, now Duchess of Edinburgh, in June 2016 to award the Duke of Edinburgh's International certificates. This was Edward's 38th visit to Canada and Sophie's first visit to Manitoba. As their daughter Lady Louise approaches her final year at university, it is expected she will step into the spotlight. The young royal shares many similar traits with her grandmother, the late Queen, from her love for animals to her appearance. She may also share Elizabeth's love for Canada and we may see a Royal Visit to her namesake lake in the future.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Experts say royal visit was meant to send a message to Trump — and to London
King Charles waves to the crowd as he leaves the Senate with Queen Camilla after the throne speech in Ottawa during a royal visit on Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney meant to send a message to U.S. President Donald Trump by inviting King Charles to Ottawa this week, foreign policy experts say — but Trump may not have been the only target audience. Multiple experts in foreign policy say they're convinced Carney arranged the whirlwind royal visit to reaffirm Canada's sovereignty and distinct political culture before a global audience in response to Trump's ruinous trade policy and repeated calls for Canada's annexation. Roy Norton, a fellow at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, said he also doubts Carney would have invited the King had British Prime Minister Keir Starmer not made the controversial decision to invite the president for a second state visit to the United Kingdom. That invitation was formally issued by King Charles but would have been offered on Starmer's advice. 'I think Trump isn't the only audience internationally, but I think Trump's an important one,' Norton said. 'Starmer is also on notice as he's been reminded that the King has these responsibilities beyond simply serving the interests of the United Kingdom.' Carney told Britain's SkyNews in an interview earlier this month that Canadians 'weren't impressed' by London's invitation to Trump, 'given the circumstance.' Norton said the visit also may have been intended to remind the King of his own responsibilities to Canada. While many Canadians were disappointed that the King made no direct statement pushing back on Trump's annexation talk, the throne speech he read in Ottawa emphasized Canada's sovereignty and his close personal relationship with the country. While Trump was relatively quiet about the royal visit itself — which saw the King welcomed by cheering crowds in Ottawa — he called again Tuesday for Canada to become part of the United States. In a post on social media, Trump said Canada would pay billions of dollars to take part in his unbuilt Golden Dome missile defence system if 'they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State.' Fen Hampson, a Carleton University professor and an expert on Canada-U.S. relations, said that while he thinks the royal visit was 'all about Trump,' the president remains 'immune to messaging or persuasion of any kind.' 'In extraordinary times, you have to pull out all the stops and call on friends to send a strong message that Canada is not for sale, now, tomorrow or ever,' he said. Hampson said he doesn't think the visit itself did much to unify Canadians beyond the effect Trump is having already. 'It's the threat of Trump that's unifying Canadians, not the King,' he said. This was only the third time a sitting monarch had read the speech from the throne in Canada. Queen Elizabeth II did so in 1957 and 1977. A Liberal government official, speaking on background, told The Canadian Press that the goal of the royal visit was to help Canadians reconnect with their cultural and political roots at a time when the country's sovereignty is being threatened. Daniel Béland, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, said the visit served as 'a way to draw attention to the distinctiveness of our political institutions.' 'It's also about PR and about raising the profile of Canada and, in a way, of the government's policies,' he said, noting that the visit received international attention. 'It's certainly sending a message about the fact that Canada is in a way not isolated, that it has its own identity.' Asked by reporters Tuesday if he thinks the throne speech will help the federal government in its negotiations with the Trump administration, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said it's hard to tell what moves the president. 'I think it's important that the world recognize that we have those ancient traditions and the Americans recognize that we are an independent and free country that will make its own decisions,' Poilievre said. — With files from Craig Lord This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
