Queen Elizabeth II to open Vancouver 2010 Games; Charles may also attend

[mr.x]

This is no April Fools.

Queen Elizabeth To Grace Opening Of Winter Olympic Games Hosted By Vancouver

April 2, 2009 1:57 p.m. EST

AHN Staff

London, England (AHN) - Queen Elizabeth will grace the opening in 2010 of the Winter Olympic Games to be hosted by Vancouver, the office of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced on Thursday. Her son, Prince Charles, is also interested in coming along.

According to Globe and Mail, Harper's office has confirmed the monarch's visit, but the details are still being ironed out by Ottawa and London officials. To plan and work out details of the visit, Harper appointed in London on Wednesday Kevin MacLeod as Canadian Secretary to the Queen.

Aside from the royal visit, part of MacLeod's task is to chair the Diamond Jubilee Committee which will organize the celebration of the Queen's 60th anniversary as Queen on Canada in 2012.

Prince Charles planned in 2005 to visit Canada with his wife Camilla, but the prime minister then, Paul Martin, advised him against the visit because of political turmoil in Ottawa at that time.

It would be Queen Elizabeth's 24th visit to Canada when the winter games open on Feb. 12, 2010.

Harper, in a statement, said, "Royal visits demonstrate the enduring ties between the Royal Family and Canadians and offer a unique opportunity to celebrate the important aspect of our shared heritage, culture and identity."

Queen Elizabeth to visit Canada next year

OTTAWA, April 2 (UPI) -- Planning is under way for British Queen Elizabeth to visit Canada and open the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office said.

Harper's office made the announcement after the prime minister met with the monarch in London Wednesday as part of his agenda of the Group of 20 summit, The Globe and Mail reported.

Plans are being made to have the queen open the Games, which begin Feb. 12, and also commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Naval Service of Canada, which was the forerunner of the current navy, the report said.

The monarch turns 83 on April 21 and the 2010 visit would be her 24th to Canada.

The Globe and Mail said Prince Charles was also keen to visit Canada before his mother's trip.

By tradition royal family members only visit by invitation and the last one to Charles in 2005 was rescinded by Prime Minister Paul Martin, who said his minority government was imperiled and the country could face a snap election.

Visits by Queen, Prince Charles in the works

MICHAEL VALPY | GLOBE AND MAIL
April 2, 2009

The Queen and possibly Prince Charles will come to Canada within the next year and a half, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed yesterday.

Although details are still being worked out by Ottawa and Buckingham Palace, speculation is that the Queen, who turns 83 on April 21, will come next year to open the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and perhaps mark the centenary of the navy, and Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, will come earlier.

The Globe and Mail reported in February that the Prince was keen to deepen his relationship with Canada, but was thwarted by not having been invited to the country for eight years.

By convention, the Queen and Charles, respectively head of state and next-in-line, can set foot in the country only officially and by invitation.
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Charles wanted to bring his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to Canada in 2005, soon after their marriage, but then-prime minister Paul Martin informed him the timing was not propitious because his minority government might be forced into an election.

The Prince and his staff have shown considerable interest in charitable and community work being done by a number of Canadian organizations that parallel his own interests. If he comes, he likely would use his time in Canada to spotlight achievements in education, health, organic agriculture, at-risk youth, corporate social responsibility, architecture and urban planning.

The Queen's visit will be the 24th she has made.

The Olympics open on Feb. 12, 2010. The Naval Service of Canada - subsequently the Royal Canadian Navy and then Canadian Forces Maritime Command - was created in 1910.

Overseeing the Queen's visit, and that of the Prince if he's invited, will be the civil service's long-time expert on monarchy in Canada, Kevin MacLeod, who Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced yesterday would become Canadian Secretary to the Queen.

The announcement was made just before Mr. Harper met the Queen for lunch in London, where he is attending a meeting of the G20 heads of government. Mr. MacLeod travelled there with him.

"Royal visits demonstrate the enduring ties between the Royal family and Canadians," Mr. Harper said, "and offer a unique opportunity to celebrate this important aspect of our shared heritage, culture and identity. In his capacity as Canadian Secretary to the Queen, Mr. MacLeod will play a crucial role in ensuring the success of upcoming Royal visits."

The Canadian Secretary's post has been vacant for four years. Basically, it gives the sovereign a set of astute Canadian eyes and ears.

http://news.google.ca/news?um=1&ned=ca&cf=all&ncl=1325407992



Personally, I would have preferred Michaelle Jean....but, I'm not against this either. I think it's great that she's giving us attention, as the Queen of Canada.