Island on the itinerary along with Upper and Lower Canada. Great clamour in the city. Band and military forces add flair. The Lieutenant Governor welcome. Parade through Charlottetown to Government House.
The year described was 1860. The royal prince on Prince Edward Island was the Prince of Wales, named officially as Albert Edward (b. 1841). The Central Academy in Charlottetown changed its name to Prince of Wales College in his honour. This Prince of Wales was touring Canada as a kind of on-the-job training stint in order to learn how to be a king. It’s a great job if you can get it.
In 1860, Albert Edward undertook a four month tour to North America and visited, among other places, Montreal, Ottawa, and stayed for three days with United States President James Buchanan at the White House. Buchanan accompanied the Prince to Mount Vernon, to pay his respects at the tomb of George Washington.
In 1859, he had already taken an educational trip to Rome . Also before the trip to North America, he had already studied at University of Edinburgh and at Christ Church, Oxford. This background is more the material for a curriculum vitae than a resume’.
Prince William measures up to the 1860 Prince of Wales (Albert Edward), who is his Great-Great-Great Grandfather. William has studied at Eton and the University of Edinburgh. He completed the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and completed additional training at Britannia Royal Naval College. He is currently a helicopter pilot for the Royal Air Force. Traveling in 1860 by ship was tough duty, royalty or not, compared to air travel in 2011. William’s travels are too numerous to describe.
Amazing as the background of the two princes are, great-great-great grandfather and great-great-great grandson, it is even more amazing that their travels intersect on Prince Edward Island. The 1860 Prince of Wales went on to become King Edward VII, 1901-1910 . The 2011 His Royal Highness Prince William is in line to become king, immediately behind his father Prince Charles.
I recall a St. Dunstan’s roommate telling of the excitement of Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Charlottetown in 1964. With Regis and Kelly last year, and Prince William and Kate this year, keep the “red carpet” out. And oh yes, I am coming to the Island later in the year for the Class of 1971 UPEI 40th reunion. Can anybody pick me up at the airport?
N.B. Thanks to The Cradle of Confederation by Lorne C. Callbeck for much of my background.
