This year is the 150^th anniversary of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Arnprior in 1860. It was the first official visit of a senior member of the British Royal Family to North America, with Queen Victoria’s eldest son, Albert Edward (the Prince of Wales) representing the monarchy.

To mark this historic event, a group of enthusiastic people created a re-enactment of the visit on July 3, 2010.   The features and attractions included:

• A flotilla of canoes carrying the 18-year old Prince and his retinue landing on the beach of Robert Simpson Park,
• A cannon announcing the arrival of the Prince of Wales,
  
• Formal speeches exchanged between the re-enactors,
• Festivities like fiddlers, singers, dancers, and lumberjacks celebrating the occasion,
• Horse-drawn carriages,
• Vendors peddling their wares,
• Women dressed in period clothing (hoop dresses) greeting the Royal Party,
• Men wearing frock coats,
• "Ordinary" people wearing "ordinary" period costumes,
• Animators ready to talk to guests and spectators about who the Prince of Wales was, why he was here, what he did while he was here, and what kind of impact was having on Canada.
• A luncheon duplicating, as much as possible, the luncheon arranged for the Prince at the original location, the grounds of Daniel McLachlin’s home- now Galilee centre.    

History

• Before 1841, the territory roughly corresponding to Southern Ontario in Canada was the British colony of the Province of Upper Canada, while the southern portion of Quebec and the Labrador region of Newfoundland and Labrador was the colony of the Province of Lower Canada.

• On February 10, 1841, the two colonies combined and became the Province of Canada or the United Province of Canada.

• The Province of Canada ceased to exist at Canadian Confederation on July 1, 1867, when it was re-divided into the modern Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Who was the Prince of Wales?

• First son of Queen Victoria, named Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, affectionately known as “Bertie.” Born November 9, 1841, died May 6, 1910.

• Later, as Edward VII, he became King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India on January 22, 1901.

• Only 18 when he visited the US and Canada.

• Was heir apparent to the throne for longer than anyone else in history.

• The visit came after a lengthy period of negotiations around the idea of a royal visit. Queen Victoria wanted to express her appreciation for the support demonstrated by Canada during the Crimean War, 1854-6, so she sent Albert Edward when he was old enough.

• First senior member of the Royal Family to visit North America.

• Queen Victoria had selected Ottawa as the new nation’s capital in 1857.

• Drove the last rivet in and opened Victoria Bridge (crossing the St. Lawrence) in Montreal, still standing and in service; at the time, called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” because of its length, its innovative structure, huge cost, a symbol of British engineering.

• Laid the cornerstone of the new Parliament Buildings in Ottawa.

• He was Queen Victoria’s eldest son and the heir to the world’s most powerful nation and empire.

Where else did he go in North America?

• Landed in St. John’s, Newfoundland (not yet part of Canada) on July 23, 1860.

• Visited the Atlantic colonies (St. John’s, Newfoundland; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John, New Brunswick; Prince Edward Island), and the Province of Canada (Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto) as well as many cities in the USA.

• Visited Albany, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, St Louis and Washington.

• In Washington, he was President James Buchanan’s guest in the White House.

Visit trivia

• Lots of people took advantage of the Royal Visit to make a fast buck by selling stuff like special caps and hats and commemorative things like medals.

• Stuff included a “Prince of Wales biscuit” cut in the shape of the Prince.

• Rain followed the Prince and his entourage everywhere but in Arnprior it was so dry that clouds of dust followed th Prince in his non stop travels from Arnprior to Carleton Place