Canadian royal symbols
Encyclopedia
Canadian royal symbols are the visual and auditory identifiers of the Canadian monarchy and the monarch's viceroy
s, in both the country's federal and provincial jurisdictions. These may specifically distinguish authoritative organizations such as parliament or police forces establishments with royal associations, or merely be ways of expressing loyal
or patriotic
sentiment, their overall frequency making them a prevalent part of the everyday lives of Canadians.
Most royal symbols in Canada are based on inherited predecessors from France
, England
, and Scotland
, the evidence of which is still visible today, though over time adaptations have been made to include uniquely Canadian elements. Some representations were discarded during and after the 1970s, in an effort to appease Quebec separatism
within an evolving Canadian identity
, though others were, at the same time, created. Today, symbols of the monarchy can be seen in military badges, provincial and national coats of arms, royal prefixes, monuments
, and eponymous names of geographical locations and monuments
.
The present-day use of royal symbols has developed from the first royal emblems and images of French, English, Scottish, and later, British monarchs that were brought by colonists to New France
and British North America
to represent the authority of the sovereign back in Europe
; the first verifiable use of a royal symbol in Canada was when Jacques Cartier
in 1534 raised on the Gaspé Peninsula
the royal arms of France. Since then, some icons were created for use uniquely in the Canadas mostly coats of arms but only after the First World War
did increases in Canadian nationalism lead to changes in the appearance and meaning of royal symbols amongst Canadians. Since Canada gained full legislative independence
from the United Kingdom in 1931, images of the reigning monarch have been employed to signify either Canada's membership in the Commonwealth of Nations
, the Crown's authority, loyalty to Canada, or Canada's full statehood.
, such as coins, postage stamps, and the Great Seal of Canada
. Through the 1800s, effigies and pictures of the monarch Queen Victoria
, especially came to be symbolic of the wider British Empire
to which Canada belonged. As with other royal symbols, though, the general domestic meaning of the sovereign's portrait altered through the 20th century. The Royal Cypher
is also regarded as a personal logo of the monarch, generally consisting of his or her initials. In Canada, the cypher has come to be indicative of the country's full sovereignty.
Coins were one of the first objects to bear the image of the reigning sovereign in what is today Canada; for example, French colonists after 1640 employed the Louis d'or
(Gold Louis), which first bore the effigy of King Louis XIII
, and then all subsequent French monarchs until the transfer of New France to the British
in 1763, after which British sovereigns and coppers were used, sometimes long after the end of the reign of the monarch appearing on the coin. The first coins minted specifically for the Province of Canada
came in 1858, and had on their obverse the image of Queen Victoria, as did the first coins of the Dominion of Canada. Since then, the reigning sovereign's image has remained printed on Canadian coins, illustrating the responsibility of the monarch (as the state
) to guarantee the value of the medium of exchange
. The effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on current Canadian coins was rendered by Susannah Blunt.
Images of the reigning monarch and his or her family have also traditionally been printed on postage stamp
s in Canada since 1851, when Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert, were shown on 12- and 6-pence stamps, respectively, for mail in the Province of Canada. Queen Elizabeth was depicted in 59 successive stamp designs in Canada, starting in 1939, when she was still Princess Elizabeth of York, and continuing on to the Queen Elizabeth II definitive stamp
s released in the 2000s.
has been amassed by Senator Serge Joyal
, eight of which are on full display in the Senate foyer of the parliament buildings' Centre Block
.
Queen Elizabeth II has posed for a number of Canada's prominent photographers, the first being Yousuf Karsh
, who made a formal portrait of a 17 year old Princess Elizabeth, and later took a series of official pictures of the Princess, just months before she acceded to the throne, in formal and informal poses. Karsh was commissioned on two subsequent occasions to create series of pictures of the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh
, once prior to Elizabeth's 1967 tour of Canada for the centenary of Canada's confederation
, when he photographed the royal couple at Buckingham Palace
, and again in 1984, creating a set of portraits that included a shot of the Queen with her corgi
, Shadow. Prior to her second tour of Canada as queen in 1959, Elizabeth requested that a Canadian photographer take her pre-tour pictures, and Donald McKeague of Toronto
was selected. Then, in 1973, Onnig Cavoukian
, also from Toronto, made a photographic portrait that was dubbed "The Citizen Queen" because of the informal way in which Elizabeth was depicted. Rideau Hall
photographer John Evans captured the sovereign on film in 1977, during her Silver Jubilee
stay in Ottawa; Evans portrayed the Queen following her return from opening parliament
. More recently, photographic portraits of Queen Elizabeth II were made in 2002, as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations, and in 2005, when she marked the centenaries of Alberta
and Saskatchewan
.
The Queen has also been the subject of Canadian painters, including Hilton Hassell, who depicted Princess Elizabeth square dancing
at Rideau Hall in 1951, and Jean Paul Lemieux
, whose 1979 work affectionate memory images combines "the familiar and the constitutional" by portraying the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in a meadow in front of the Canadian parliament buildings. Charles Pachter
created the painting The Queen on a Moose, which depicts exactly what the title describes and has become a Canadian cultural image, as well as his subsequent pieces showing the Queen's son, Prince Charles
, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, standing alongside a moose, and the Queen's grandson Prince William and his wife, Catherine, with Canadian wildlife, such as a moose and a squirrel. An official painted portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was created in 1976 and another has been commissioned by the Governor General-in-Council
from Scarborough, Ontario
, artist Phil Richards to mark the monarch's Diamond Jubilee
in 2012.
More formal and enduring are the sculptures of some of Canada's monarchs, such as Louis-Philippe Hébert
's bronze statue of Queen Victoria that was in 1901 unveiled on Parliament Hill
in Ottawa
. Jack Harmon of British Columbia
created in 1992 the equestrian statue of Queen Elizabeth that also stands on Parliament Hill, and sculptor Susan Velder fashioned in June 2003 another such statue for the grounds of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building
.
in London
and the opening of the Canadian parliament
in 1957 was decorated with the floral emblems of her realms, including maple leaves for Canada. During the same 1957 visit to Ottawa, the Queen also wore to a banquet held at Rideau Hall
the Maple-Leaf-of-Canada dress, which was intended to represent Elizabeth's distinct status as Queen of Canada; it was a pale green satin
gown, edged with a garland consisting of deep green velvet
maple leaves
appliquéd
with crysals and emeralds. Afterwards, the dress was donated to the Crown collection and is now held at the Canadian Museum of Civilization
. Similarly, for a dinner held in July 2010, at the Fairmont Royal York
hotel in Toronto
, Elizabeth wore a white gown with silver maple leaves appliquéd on the right sleeve and shoulder.
Occasionally, the Queen will wear clothing designed with Aboriginal motifs
and/or materials made by some of Canada's First Nations peoples. For the opening of parliament in 1977, the Queen wore a gown with gold fringes that was suggestive of an aboriginal princess, and in 2010 she wore in Nova Scotia
a coat trimmed with beads made by women of the Mi'kmaq nation.
The monarch also owns various jewellery pieces that are distinctively Canadian, such as two maple leaf brooch
es, one made from pink and yellow precious gems and the other from diamonds.
is a heraldic
device that is prevalent across Canada, being incorporated into a multitude of other emblems and insignia. On the most basic level, the crown itself is a visual reminder of the monarchy, its central place as the fuse between all branches of government, and its embodiment of the continuity of the state. It can be found on, amongst others, the Royal Cypher; the Royal Arms of Canada; some of the provincial and territorial coats of arms; the badges of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
; and those of the Canadian Forces
, the Canadian Coast Guard
, and several other federal departments
. A crown may also be found atop signs in Ontario
for the King's Highways and the Queen Elizabeth Way
.
A crown is also present on various Canadian decorations and medals, as well as the insignia for all the country's orders, reflecting the monarch's place as the fount of honour
. The crown may exist on a medallion as a part of the Royal Cypher and/or on the sovereign's head in effigy, though it can also be placed atop the medal of badge of an order.
Typically, a St. Edward's Crown is employed, as directed by Queen Elizabeth II when she acceded to the throne, replacing the Tudor Crown as a representation of royal authority. However, in some cases, such as the heraldic badge of the West Vancouver Police Department
, the older crown is still retained. The Sacrifice Medal
shows on its obverse an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a unique diadem
of maple leaves and snowflakes that does not exist in reality. Such use of the crown is only by the personal permission of the sovereign, which is sought via the Office of the Governor General.
, flag
s are utilised to represent royal authority and specific royal and viceroyal offices. The standards of the kings of France were the first royal flags to be used in what is now Canada, a flag bearing the arms of King Louis XIV
being used as the symbol of New France
after the colony was in 1663 reformed as a royal province of France
. The contemporary personal flag of the Canadian sovereign
is a Heraldic banner that bears the shield of the monarch's Canadian arms defaced
with the personal device of Queen Elizabeth II a crowned E in a circle of roses and is used by the Queen whenever in Canada or acting on behalf of the country abroad, the flag being flown from any building or transportation occupied by the monarch. This flag was created in 1961 to replace the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, which had been previously used by the Canadian monarch in Canada and overseas.
Second in precedence is the flag of the governor general
, which displays the crest of the Canadian royal arms a crowned lion holding a maple leaf and is used in a fashion akin to the sovereign's flag. Each of the provincial viceroys also has a representative flag
, most being a blue field on which is displayed the shield of the province's arms surmounted by a crown.
The Union Flag
, before it was recognised as the national flag of the United Kingdom
, was used in Canada as a representation of the British monarchs
who reigned over British North America
, and it came to be incorporated into Canadian symbols, such as the Canadian Red Ensign
. When the country's present flag
was adopted in 1965, the Union Flag was retained as an official flag of Canada and named the Royal Union Flag, intended as a marker of Canada's loyalty to the Crown and membership in the Commonwealth of Nations
. Both it and the standard of royal France have a prominent place in the monarch's Canadian coat of arms.
" (or "God Save the Queen" in the reign of a female monarch) was heard in the Canadian colonies since the late 18th century and became the country's national anthem
after Confederation
in 1867. In 1980, "O Canada
" was adopted as the national anthem and "God Save the Queen" became, by convention, the Royal Anthem
, for use as a musical salute to the sovereign in person or as a display of loyalty in any circumstance. It was also incorporated into the Canadian Royal Salute, which is used upon the arrival of the Governor General or a lieutenant governor, and consists of the first six bars of the Royal Anthem followed by the first and last four bars of "O Canada".
At official functions, regardless of whether or not the monarch is personally present, the Loyal Toast
may be recited; it consists of a toast
to the health of the sovereign, and is generally led by the host of or guest of honour at a ceremony, aside from the monarch him or herself. In English
, the toast is: "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Queen of Canada," and in French
: "Mesdames et Messieurs, à la Reine du Canada." In the mess
of regiments in which the monarch holds an honorary appointment, the toast is modified slightly to be read as: "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Queen of Canada, our Colonel-in-Chief," and in French: "Mesdames et Messieurs, à la Reine du Canada, notre colonel en chef." Where a band is present, the Royal Anthem is played following the performance of the Loyal Toast.
The monarch also acts as the locus of fealty in the Oath of Allegiance
, which forms a part of the Oath of Citizenship
. This giving of allegiance to the sovereign has been described as the expression of "a solemn intention to adhere to the symbolic keystone of the Canadian Constitution as it has been and is, thus pledging an acceptance of the whole of our constitution and national life."
The word royal itself is frequently used as a prefix to the name of an organization that has gained the monarch's favour or patronage. The granting of this distinction falls within the Royal Prerogative
, and thus is conferred by the monarch through the office of her viceroy
, with input from the Ceremonial and Canadian Symbols Promotion Programme within the Department of Canadian Heritage
on whether or not the institution meets the criteria of having been in existence for at least 25 years, being financially secure, and a non-profit organization, amongst others. Any organization that has been so honoured may receive appropriate royal insignia when petitioning the Canadian Heraldic Authority
for a grant of armorial bearings or other emblem. The term crown corporation
is also applied to conglomerations in which the sovereign, either in right of Canada or any of the provinces, is the sole shareholder.
Certain dates are of royal significance in Canada. Victoria Day
has been since 1834 a holiday to mark the birthday of Queen Victoria and later, after 1957, the official birthday of the reigning monarch. At military sites, on navy vessels, and on government property, flags will also be flown to mark specific royal occasions, including Accession Day
(6 February), the actual birthday of the monarch (presently 21 April), the official birthday of the monarch (24 May), and the birthday of the Royal Consort (10 June).
Each year since 1932, the monarch has delivered the Royal Christmas Message
to the British Commonwealth (later the Commonwealth of Nations
); originally broadcast on the British Broadcasting Corporation
Empire Service
, it is today shown in Canada on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
television and radio.
and members of the Royal Family all across Canada. No individual has been more honoured than Queen Victoria in the names of Canada's public buildings, streets, populated places and physical features. The trend for naming places after the sovereign began after the Queen granted John Ross
permission to name a small bay in the Northwest Passage
after her. Following this, explorers and mapmakers gave the name Victoria to a multitude of geographical features all over the Canadian map; her name appears more than 300 times. Also, amongst the 280 postal divisions in Canada, more than half have at least one thoroughfare identified by the name Victoria.
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
s, in both the country's federal and provincial jurisdictions. These may specifically distinguish authoritative organizations such as parliament or police forces establishments with royal associations, or merely be ways of expressing loyal
Loyalist
In general, a loyalist is someone who maintains loyalty to an established government, political party, or sovereign, especially during war or revolutionary change. In modern English usage, the most common application is to loyalty to the British Crown....
or patriotic
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
sentiment, their overall frequency making them a prevalent part of the everyday lives of Canadians.
Most royal symbols in Canada are based on inherited predecessors from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the evidence of which is still visible today, though over time adaptations have been made to include uniquely Canadian elements. Some representations were discarded during and after the 1970s, in an effort to appease Quebec separatism
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
within an evolving Canadian identity
Canadian identity
Canadian identity refers to the set of characteristics and symbols that many Canadians regard as expressing their unique place and role in the world....
, though others were, at the same time, created. Today, symbols of the monarchy can be seen in military badges, provincial and national coats of arms, royal prefixes, monuments
Royal monuments in Canada
In Canada, a number of monuments have been erected to honour royal individuals, whether a member of the past French Royal Family, British Royal Family, or present Canadian Royal Family, thus reflecting the country's status as a constitutional monarchy under the Canadian Crown.-Alberta:-British...
, and eponymous names of geographical locations and monuments
Royal eponyms in Canada
In Canada, a number of sites and structures are named for royal individuals, whether a member of the past French Royal Family, British Royal Family, or present Canadian Royal Family, thus reflecting the country's status as a constitutional monarchy under the Canadian Crown.-King Francis I:-Queen...
.
Purpose
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
and British North America
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
to represent the authority of the sovereign back in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
; the first verifiable use of a royal symbol in Canada was when Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...
in 1534 raised on the Gaspé Peninsula
Gaspé Peninsula
The Gaspésie , or Gaspé Peninsula or the Gaspé, is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, extending into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
the royal arms of France. Since then, some icons were created for use uniquely in the Canadas mostly coats of arms but only after the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
did increases in Canadian nationalism lead to changes in the appearance and meaning of royal symbols amongst Canadians. Since Canada gained full legislative independence
Statute of Westminster 1931
The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Passed on 11 December 1931, the Act established legislative equality for the self-governing dominions of the British Empire with the United Kingdom...
from the United Kingdom in 1931, images of the reigning monarch have been employed to signify either Canada's membership in the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, the Crown's authority, loyalty to Canada, or Canada's full statehood.
Images
The main symbol of the monarchy is the sovereign him or herself, being described as "the personal expression of the Crown in Canada" and the personification of the Canadian state. Thus, the image of the sovereign acts as an indication of that individual's authority, and therefore appears on objects created by order of the Crown-in-CouncilQueen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
, such as coins, postage stamps, and the Great Seal of Canada
Great Seal of Canada
The Great Seal of Canada is a seal used for official purposes of state in Canada such as the certification of Acts of Parliament that have been granted Royal Assent....
. Through the 1800s, effigies and pictures of the monarch Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, especially came to be symbolic of the wider British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
to which Canada belonged. As with other royal symbols, though, the general domestic meaning of the sovereign's portrait altered through the 20th century. The Royal Cypher
Royal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
is also regarded as a personal logo of the monarch, generally consisting of his or her initials. In Canada, the cypher has come to be indicative of the country's full sovereignty.
Coinage and postage
Louis d'or
The Louis d'or is any number of French coins first introduced by Louis XIII in 1640. The name derives from the depiction of the portrait of King Louis on one side of the coin; the French royal coat of arms is on the reverse...
(Gold Louis), which first bore the effigy of King Louis XIII
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
, and then all subsequent French monarchs until the transfer of New France to the British
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
in 1763, after which British sovereigns and coppers were used, sometimes long after the end of the reign of the monarch appearing on the coin. The first coins minted specifically for the Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
came in 1858, and had on their obverse the image of Queen Victoria, as did the first coins of the Dominion of Canada. Since then, the reigning sovereign's image has remained printed on Canadian coins, illustrating the responsibility of the monarch (as the state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
) to guarantee the value of the medium of exchange
Medium of exchange
A medium of exchange is an intermediary used in trade to avoid the inconveniences of a pure barter system.By contrast, as William Stanley Jevons argued, in a barter system there must be a coincidence of wants before two people can trade – one must want exactly what the other has to offer, when and...
. The effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on current Canadian coins was rendered by Susannah Blunt.
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s in Canada since 1851, when Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert, were shown on 12- and 6-pence stamps, respectively, for mail in the Province of Canada. Queen Elizabeth was depicted in 59 successive stamp designs in Canada, starting in 1939, when she was still Princess Elizabeth of York, and continuing on to the Queen Elizabeth II definitive stamp
Queen Elizabeth II definitive stamp (Canada)
The Queen Elizabeth II definitive stamp is a domestic rate stamp issued by Canada Post, and bearing the image of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. Six versions of the stamp have been issued since 2003....
s released in the 2000s.
Artworks
Portraits of the sovereigns of Canada's territories have been displayed in the country since permanent settlements were first established by Europeans. Only after the turn of the 20th century, however, have the monarchs of Canada been portrayed by Canadian artists in paint, sculpture, and photography. Formal likenesses of the monarch are often found in government buildings, military installations, many schools, as well as Canada's high commissions and embassies abroad. A full collection of portraits of sovereigns of Canada and its predecessor territories going back to King Francis IFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
has been amassed by Senator Serge Joyal
Serge Joyal
Serge Joyal, PC, OC, OQ is a Canadian Senator. A lawyer by profession, Joyal served as vice-president of the Quebec wing of the Liberal Party of Canada...
, eight of which are on full display in the Senate foyer of the parliament buildings' Centre Block
Centre Block
The Centre Block is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of Members of Parliament and Senators, as well as senior administration for both legislative houses...
.
Queen Elizabeth II has posed for a number of Canada's prominent photographers, the first being Yousuf Karsh
Yousuf Karsh
Yousuf Karsh, CC was a Canadian photographer of Armenian heritage, and one of the most famous and accomplished portrait photographers of all time.-Biography:...
, who made a formal portrait of a 17 year old Princess Elizabeth, and later took a series of official pictures of the Princess, just months before she acceded to the throne, in formal and informal poses. Karsh was commissioned on two subsequent occasions to create series of pictures of the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, once prior to Elizabeth's 1967 tour of Canada for the centenary of Canada's confederation
Canadian Centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a year long celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1. 1967 coins were different from previous years' issues, with animals on each...
, when he photographed the royal couple at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
, and again in 1984, creating a set of portraits that included a shot of the Queen with her corgi
Welsh Corgi
The Welsh corgi is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. Two distinct breeds are recognized: the Pembroke Welsh corgi and the Cardigan Welsh corgi, with the Pembroke being the more common..-Description:...
, Shadow. Prior to her second tour of Canada as queen in 1959, Elizabeth requested that a Canadian photographer take her pre-tour pictures, and Donald McKeague of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
was selected. Then, in 1973, Onnig Cavoukian
Onnig Cavoukian
Onnig J. Cavoukian, known professionally as Cavouk, is a well-known Canadian photographer.- Early life and career :Born in Cairo in 1945 to ethnic Armenian parents Artin and Lucie Cavoukian, Onnig Cavoukian emigrated with his family from Cairo to Canada in 1958...
, also from Toronto, made a photographic portrait that was dubbed "The Citizen Queen" because of the informal way in which Elizabeth was depicted. Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
photographer John Evans captured the sovereign on film in 1977, during her Silver Jubilee
Silver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
stay in Ottawa; Evans portrayed the Queen following her return from opening parliament
Speech from the Throne
A speech from the throne is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the government's agenda for the coming session...
. More recently, photographic portraits of Queen Elizabeth II were made in 2002, as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations, and in 2005, when she marked the centenaries of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
Square dance
Square dance is a folk dance with four couples arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going counter-clockwise until getting to Couple 4. Couples 1 and 3 are known as the head couples, while Couples 2 and 4 are the side couples...
at Rideau Hall in 1951, and Jean Paul Lemieux
Jean Paul Lemieux
Jean Paul Lemieux, was one of the foremost painters of twentieth century Quebec. He was born in Quebec City, where he also died . He was raised in Quebec City until 1916, when his family moved to Berkeley, California...
, whose 1979 work affectionate memory images combines "the familiar and the constitutional" by portraying the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in a meadow in front of the Canadian parliament buildings. Charles Pachter
Charles Pachter
-Life:Pachter got a D-minus in visual art at Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute. However, that did not prevent him from pursuing a career in visual arts.Pachter is a painter, printmaker, sculptor, designer, historian, and lecturer...
created the painting The Queen on a Moose, which depicts exactly what the title describes and has become a Canadian cultural image, as well as his subsequent pieces showing the Queen's son, Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, standing alongside a moose, and the Queen's grandson Prince William and his wife, Catherine, with Canadian wildlife, such as a moose and a squirrel. An official painted portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was created in 1976 and another has been commissioned by the Governor General-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
from Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
, artist Phil Richards to mark the monarch's Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II is the forthcoming international celebration in 2012 marking the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries, upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952...
in 2012.
More formal and enduring are the sculptures of some of Canada's monarchs, such as Louis-Philippe Hébert
Louis-Philippe Hébert
Louis-Philippe Hébert was the son of Théophile Hébert, a farmer, and Julie Bourgeois of Ste-Sophie de Mégantic, Quebec. Louis-Philippe Hébert was a sculptor who sculpted forty monuments, busts, medals and statues in wood, bronze and terra-cotta. He taught at the Conseil des arts et manufactures in...
's bronze statue of Queen Victoria that was in 1901 unveiled on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. Jack Harmon of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
created in 1992 the equestrian statue of Queen Elizabeth that also stands on Parliament Hill, and sculptor Susan Velder fashioned in June 2003 another such statue for the grounds of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building
Saskatchewan Legislative Building
The Saskatchewan Legislative Building is located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and houses the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.-History:...
.
Clothing
In the role of the state personified, the monarch has worn clothing symbolic of the country. For instance, the gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II at both her coronationCoronation of Queen Elizabeth II
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was the ceremony in which the newly ascended monarch, Elizabeth II, was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon, and Pakistan, as well as taking on the role of Head of the Commonwealth...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the opening of the Canadian parliament
Speech from the Throne
A speech from the throne is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the government's agenda for the coming session...
in 1957 was decorated with the floral emblems of her realms, including maple leaves for Canada. During the same 1957 visit to Ottawa, the Queen also wore to a banquet held at Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
the Maple-Leaf-of-Canada dress, which was intended to represent Elizabeth's distinct status as Queen of Canada; it was a pale green satin
Satin
Satin is a weave that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp-dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibres such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is...
gown, edged with a garland consisting of deep green velvet
Velvet
Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed,with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive feel.The word 'velvety' is used as an adjective to mean -"smooth like velvet".-Composition:...
maple leaves
Maple leaf
The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree, and is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada.-Use in Canada:At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the settlements of New France had attained a population of about 18,000...
appliquéd
Applique
In its broadest sense, an appliqué is a smaller ornament or device applied to another surface. In the context of ceramics, for example, an appliqué is a separate piece of clay added to the primary work, generally for the purpose of decoration...
with crysals and emeralds. Afterwards, the dress was donated to the Crown collection and is now held at the Canadian Museum of Civilization
Canadian Museum of Civilization
The Canadian Museum of Civilization is Canada's national museum of human history and the most popular and most-visited museum in Canada....
. Similarly, for a dinner held in July 2010, at the Fairmont Royal York
Fairmont Royal York
The Fairmont Royal York Hotel, formerly the Royal York Hotel and still often so called, is a large and historic hotel in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at 100 Front Street West. Opened on June 11, 1929, the Royal York was designed by Ross and Macdonald and built by the Canadian Pacific Railway...
hotel in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Elizabeth wore a white gown with silver maple leaves appliquéd on the right sleeve and shoulder.
Occasionally, the Queen will wear clothing designed with Aboriginal motifs
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
and/or materials made by some of Canada's First Nations peoples. For the opening of parliament in 1977, the Queen wore a gown with gold fringes that was suggestive of an aboriginal princess, and in 2010 she wore in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
a coat trimmed with beads made by women of the Mi'kmaq nation.
The monarch also owns various jewellery pieces that are distinctively Canadian, such as two maple leaf brooch
Brooch
A brooch ; also known in ancient times as a fibula; is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold but sometimes bronze or some other material...
es, one made from pink and yellow precious gems and the other from diamonds.
Crown
The crownCrown (heraldry)
A Crown is often an emblem of the monarchy, a monarch's government, or items endorsed by it; see The Crown. A specific type of crown is employed in heraldry under strict rules....
is a heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
device that is prevalent across Canada, being incorporated into a multitude of other emblems and insignia. On the most basic level, the crown itself is a visual reminder of the monarchy, its central place as the fuse between all branches of government, and its embodiment of the continuity of the state. It can be found on, amongst others, the Royal Cypher; the Royal Arms of Canada; some of the provincial and territorial coats of arms; the badges of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
; and those of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, the Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
, and several other federal departments
Heraldic badges of the Canadian government
Heraldic Badges of the Canadian GovernmentThe following table depicts heraldic badges used by various departments and agencies within the Canadian Government, and provides a brief description of each...
. A crown may also be found atop signs in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
for the King's Highways and the Queen Elizabeth Way
Queen Elizabeth Way
The Queen Elizabeth Way, commonly abbreviated as the QEW, is a 400-Series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The freeway links Buffalo, New York and the Niagara Peninsula with Toronto. It begins at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie and travels around the western shore of Lake Ontario, ending...
.
A crown is also present on various Canadian decorations and medals, as well as the insignia for all the country's orders, reflecting the monarch's place as the fount of honour
Fount of honour
The fount of honour refers to a nation's head of state, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry to other persons.- Origin :...
. The crown may exist on a medallion as a part of the Royal Cypher and/or on the sovereign's head in effigy, though it can also be placed atop the medal of badge of an order.
Typically, a St. Edward's Crown is employed, as directed by Queen Elizabeth II when she acceded to the throne, replacing the Tudor Crown as a representation of royal authority. However, in some cases, such as the heraldic badge of the West Vancouver Police Department
West Vancouver Police Department
West Vancouver Police Department is a police force for the district municipality of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Organization:...
, the older crown is still retained. The Sacrifice Medal
Sacrifice Medal
The Sacrifice Medal is a decoration that was created in 2008 as a replacement for the Wound Stripe, being gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council, to members of the Canadian Forces or allied forces who were wounded or killed in action.-Design:The Sacrifice...
shows on its obverse an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a unique diadem
Diadem (personal wear)
A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by Eastern monarchs and others as a badge of royalty. The word derives from the Greek "διάδημα" , "band" or "fillet", from "διαδέω" , "I bind round", or "I fasten"....
of maple leaves and snowflakes that does not exist in reality. Such use of the crown is only by the personal permission of the sovereign, which is sought via the Office of the Governor General.
Flags
Similar to coats of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
s are utilised to represent royal authority and specific royal and viceroyal offices. The standards of the kings of France were the first royal flags to be used in what is now Canada, a flag bearing the arms of King Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
being used as the symbol of New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
after the colony was in 1663 reformed as a royal province of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The contemporary personal flag of the Canadian sovereign
Queen's Personal Canadian Flag
The royal standards of Canada are personal standards, or official flags, employed to mark the presence of the bearer at any building or area or aboard any car, ship, or airplane, both in Canada and abroad. There are three royal standards, one each for the monarch, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke...
is a Heraldic banner that bears the shield of the monarch's Canadian arms defaced
Defacement (flag)
Defacement is a term used in heraldry and vexillology to refer to the addition of a symbol or charge to another flag. For example, the Australian flag is the British Blue Ensign defaced with the Southern Cross in the fly and the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter, beneath the Union...
with the personal device of Queen Elizabeth II a crowned E in a circle of roses and is used by the Queen whenever in Canada or acting on behalf of the country abroad, the flag being flown from any building or transportation occupied by the monarch. This flag was created in 1961 to replace the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, which had been previously used by the Canadian monarch in Canada and overseas.
Flag of the Governor General of Canada
The Flag of the Governor General of Canada was adopted in 1981. It features Canada's royal crest; a crowned lion holding a red maple leaf in its paw, standing on a wreath of the official colours of Canada , on a blue background...
, which displays the crest of the Canadian royal arms a crowned lion holding a maple leaf and is used in a fashion akin to the sovereign's flag. Each of the provincial viceroys also has a representative flag
Flags of the Lieutenant Governors of Canada
As the viceregal representative of the monarch of Canada, the lieutenant governors of the Canadian provinces have since Confederation been entitled to and have used a personal standard. Within a lieutenant governor's province, this standard has precedence over any other flag, including the national...
, most being a blue field on which is displayed the shield of the province's arms surmounted by a crown.
The Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
, before it was recognised as the national flag of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, was used in Canada as a representation of the British monarchs
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
who reigned over British North America
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
, and it came to be incorporated into Canadian symbols, such as the Canadian Red Ensign
Canadian Red Ensign
The Canadian Red Ensign is the former flag of Canada, used by the federal government though it was never adopted as official by the Parliament of Canada. It is a British Red Ensign, featuring the Union Flag in the canton, defaced with the shield of the Coat of Arms of Canada.-History:The Red Ensign...
. When the country's present flag
Flag of Canada
The national flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf, and , is a red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a stylized 11-pointed red maple leaf. Its adoption in 1965 marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted in Canada to replace the Union Flag...
was adopted in 1965, the Union Flag was retained as an official flag of Canada and named the Royal Union Flag, intended as a marker of Canada's loyalty to the Crown and membership in the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
. Both it and the standard of royal France have a prominent place in the monarch's Canadian coat of arms.
Verbal and musical symbols
Music and song are utilised in various ways as reminders and identifiers of the sovereign or viceroys. The tune "God Save the KingGod Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
" (or "God Save the Queen" in the reign of a female monarch) was heard in the Canadian colonies since the late 18th century and became the country's national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
after Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
in 1867. In 1980, "O Canada
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
" was adopted as the national anthem and "God Save the Queen" became, by convention, the Royal Anthem
Honors music
The honours music for a person, office or rank is music played on formal or ceremonial occasions in the presence of the person, office-holder, or rank-holder, especially by a military band...
, for use as a musical salute to the sovereign in person or as a display of loyalty in any circumstance. It was also incorporated into the Canadian Royal Salute, which is used upon the arrival of the Governor General or a lieutenant governor, and consists of the first six bars of the Royal Anthem followed by the first and last four bars of "O Canada".
At official functions, regardless of whether or not the monarch is personally present, the Loyal Toast
Loyal toast
A loyal toast is a salute given to the head of state of the country in which a formal gathering is being given, or by expatriates of that country, whether or not the particular head of state is present. It is usually a matter of protocol at state and military occasions, and a display of patriotic...
may be recited; it consists of a toast
Toast (honor)
A toast is a ritual in which a drink is taken as an expression of honor or goodwill. The term may be applied to the person or thing so honored, the drink taken, or the verbal expression accompanying the drink. Thus, a person could be "the toast of the evening," for whom someone "proposes a toast"...
to the health of the sovereign, and is generally led by the host of or guest of honour at a ceremony, aside from the monarch him or herself. In English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the toast is: "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Queen of Canada," and in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: "Mesdames et Messieurs, à la Reine du Canada." In the mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
of regiments in which the monarch holds an honorary appointment, the toast is modified slightly to be read as: "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Queen of Canada, our Colonel-in-Chief," and in French: "Mesdames et Messieurs, à la Reine du Canada, notre colonel en chef." Where a band is present, the Royal Anthem is played following the performance of the Loyal Toast.
The monarch also acts as the locus of fealty in the Oath of Allegiance
Oath of Allegiance (Canada)
The Canadian Oath of Allegiance is a promise or declaration of fealty to the Canadian monarch, taken, along with other specific oaths of office, by new occupants of various government positions, including federal and provincial viceroys, appointees to the Queen's Privy Council, Supreme Court...
, which forms a part of the Oath of Citizenship
Oath of citizenship (Canada)
The Oath of Citizenship, or Citizenship Oath , is a statement recited and signed by candidates who wish to become citizens of Canada...
. This giving of allegiance to the sovereign has been described as the expression of "a solemn intention to adhere to the symbolic keystone of the Canadian Constitution as it has been and is, thus pledging an acceptance of the whole of our constitution and national life."
The word royal itself is frequently used as a prefix to the name of an organization that has gained the monarch's favour or patronage. The granting of this distinction falls within the Royal Prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
, and thus is conferred by the monarch through the office of her viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, with input from the Ceremonial and Canadian Symbols Promotion Programme within the Department of Canadian Heritage
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism...
on whether or not the institution meets the criteria of having been in existence for at least 25 years, being financially secure, and a non-profit organization, amongst others. Any organization that has been so honoured may receive appropriate royal insignia when petitioning the Canadian Heraldic Authority
Canadian Heraldic Authority
The Canadian Heraldic Authority is part of the Canadian honours system under the Queen of Canada, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General. The Authority is responsible for the creation and granting of new coats of arms , flags and badges for Canadian citizens, permanent residents and...
for a grant of armorial bearings or other emblem. The term crown corporation
Crown corporations of Canada
Canadian Crown corporations are enterprises owned by the federal government of Canada , one of Canada's provincial governments or one of the territorial governments. Crown corporations have a long standing presence in the country and have been instrumental in the formation of the state...
is also applied to conglomerations in which the sovereign, either in right of Canada or any of the provinces, is the sole shareholder.
Calendar dates
Victoria Day
Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday before May 25, in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. The date is also, simultaneously, that on which the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday is recognized...
has been since 1834 a holiday to mark the birthday of Queen Victoria and later, after 1957, the official birthday of the reigning monarch. At military sites, on navy vessels, and on government property, flags will also be flown to mark specific royal occasions, including Accession Day
Accession Day
An Accession Day is the anniversary of the date on which a monarch succeeds to the throne upon the death of the previous monarch.-Monarchy:The custom of marking this day was inaugurated during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England....
(6 February), the actual birthday of the monarch (presently 21 April), the official birthday of the monarch (24 May), and the birthday of the Royal Consort (10 June).
Each year since 1932, the monarch has delivered the Royal Christmas Message
Royal Christmas Message
The Queen's Christmas Message is a broadcast made by the sovereign of the Commonwealth realms to the Commonwealth of Nations each Christmas. The tradition began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by George V on the British Broadcasting Corporation Empire Service...
to the British Commonwealth (later the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
); originally broadcast on the British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Empire Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
, it is today shown in Canada on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
television and radio.
Geographic names
There are also hundreds of places named for Canadian monarchsRoyal eponyms in Canada
In Canada, a number of sites and structures are named for royal individuals, whether a member of the past French Royal Family, British Royal Family, or present Canadian Royal Family, thus reflecting the country's status as a constitutional monarchy under the Canadian Crown.-King Francis I:-Queen...
and members of the Royal Family all across Canada. No individual has been more honoured than Queen Victoria in the names of Canada's public buildings, streets, populated places and physical features. The trend for naming places after the sovereign began after the Queen granted John Ross
John Ross (Arctic explorer)
Sir John Ross, CB, was a Scottish rear admiral and Arctic explorer.Ross was the son of the Rev. Andrew Ross, minister of Inch, near Stranraer in Scotland. In 1786, aged only nine, he joined the Royal Navy as an apprentice. He served in the Mediterranean until 1789 and then in the English Channel...
permission to name a small bay in the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
after her. Following this, explorers and mapmakers gave the name Victoria to a multitude of geographical features all over the Canadian map; her name appears more than 300 times. Also, amongst the 280 postal divisions in Canada, more than half have at least one thoroughfare identified by the name Victoria.
See also
- National symbols of CanadaNational symbols of CanadaNational symbols of Canada are the symbols that are used in Canada and abroad to represent the country and its people. Prominently, the use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates back to the early 18th century, and is depicted on its current and previous flags, the penny, and on the coat of...
- List of Canadian provincial and territorial symbols
- Heraldic badges of the Canadian governmentHeraldic badges of the Canadian governmentHeraldic Badges of the Canadian GovernmentThe following table depicts heraldic badges used by various departments and agencies within the Canadian Government, and provides a brief description of each...
- Queen's BeastsQueen's BeastsThe Queen's Beasts are ten heraldic statues depicting the genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II. They were commissioned by the Ministry of Works from James Woodford RA, sculptor, to stand in front of the temporary annexe to Westminster Abbey for the Coronation in 1953. The Beasts are some six-foot high...