Lt.-Gov. Frank Lewis recounts his meeting Tuesday with the Queen

Prince Edward Island Lt.-Gov. Frank Lewis is at ease talking to people.

He can comfortably work a room with charm, grace and even a good dose of Island folksiness.

On Tuesday, his calm, easygoing socializing nature was put to the test like never before. He was about to meet the Queen, face to face, in Buckingham Palace.

“I don’t get nervous about very much but this is something that most people don’t get to do,’’ said Lewis.

“It is nerving to say the least even with someone as seasoned as me at meeting people.’’

As it would turn out, his anxiety was all for naught.

When the large double doors to the receiving room opened, Lewis took as instructed three steps forward, bowed and shook the Queen’s hand. His wife, Dorothy, of course curtseyed before Her Majesty as per protocol.

CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE BRITISH MONARCH'S PHOTO OF LEWIS AND THE QUEEN

The Queen, notes Lewis, led the conversation. She also was able to put him at ease.

“Once I got in there, I was fine,’’ he said.

“She was very nice...She’s a very gracious lady - very, very gracious lady.’’

The Queen thanked Lewis for being her representative on Prince Edward Island, than asked him about his tenure to date as lieutenant governor as well as his work before the appointment.

Lewis told the Queen he considered a great honour to be lieutenant governor, particularly during her diamond jubilee year in 2012.

He presented her with a picture taken of the Queen during her royal visit to Prince Edward Island in 1959. He also gave her a copy of The Guardian’s publication 125 Years Through Our Eyes with tabs highlighting the pages containing pictures of the Queen.

Lewis spent about 30 minutes with the Queen along with the lieutenant governors of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and their spouses.

Setting a date for the meeting required plenty of to and fro following the investiture of Lewis as P.E.I.’s 41st lieutenant governor on Aug. 15, 2011.

“It’s quite a process,’’ he said

Even his admittance to Buckingham Palace involved a short delay. He and his wife spent about 10 minutes at the front gates of the palace as security there did not have the couple’s names on their schedule.

“Once we got up to the other door, they knew everything that was going on,’’ said Lewis.

And, he notes, the visit clearly was worth the wait.

“It’s something you will remember for a lifetime, of course,’’ he said.

“It was really good and I’m glad I had the opportunity to do it and I’m glad it’s over.’’

Amazed: - March 3, 2013 at 20:38:29

Cut the guts out of the poor on EI but spend even more on this charade of the monarchy.My father and his brother both volunteered and fought in Europe in WW2.Good luck trying to get anyone to lift a finger for this present government,put that on your Canada Action Ad signage.

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Bill Kays: - March 1, 2013 at 18:27:41

The Queen and her whole family should be ashamed of themselves but they aren't, because they do not feel anything. There is no place in this world for a monarchy because after all what is a monarchy? All monarchies started out this way. As a society we want to be lead, so a natural leader emerges (it's natural) on the scene. That person starts to amass power. That power corrupts the individual. He then becomes a dictator (having amassed sufficient power to do so). After a while the people in that family feel privileged and expect that things will never change. The last edict a dictator makes is that he is now KING and his family is now ROYAL. This begins the RIGHTS OF SUCCESSION. Throw the QUEEN out of our province and country and tell her to take her BANK OF C ANADA with her. Frank Lewis is just a puppet of the current Duke, Prince or King Ghiz. I can never seem to get the title right.

HOTEL ILLNESS: - March 1, 2013 at 17:16:43

To Dwight S. This is not a fact , this is your personal opinion.Don' t confuse facts with your past outings with Mr.Lewis.Like a coin there are always two sides.

Bill Kays: - March 1, 2013 at 16:44:58

don: - March 1, 2013 at 14:20:50

TO DON. the money it costs per year to keep that place going. staff,oil,repairs,plus he pay,free car,a driver,free food etc just think that money could go towards so many things. make the place into a home for the homeless. but patronage from both sides of government just a pure waste of OUR MONEY.

God Save the Queen: - March 1, 2013 at 13:25:22

Congratulations to Lt. Gov. Frank Lewis, and Mrs. Lewis, on their successful visit to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. It is sad that there is such ignorance in our little society here on PEI regarding the Crown. The Crown is the basis of not only our history and society, but also of our judiciary and our government. We have the best government of any country in the world in terms of stability, formulation (constitution) and freedom. One may not agree with the policies and direction of either the provincial or federal governments, but we have the freedom to change that through elections; many countries do not. Yes, we have incompetent idiots in both governments, but that does not negate the excellence of the system! There is a terrible, distasteful lack of respect for the Queen and her governments here. This is due, in part, to the lack of respect being taught our children in the schools where it is not always the policy to stand at attention for the playing of our National Anthem or God Save the Queen at the beginning and end of the school day. Not doing this is harmful to our children. I hope this policy will change. My dear fellow Islanders, stand up for goodness and right. Stand up for the Crown, our history and our heritage, our judiciary and our governments. Have respect and support our Lt. Governor, his wife and his government.

Sir Galahad of Morell: - March 1, 2013 at 12:48:26

So, brave peasants, of P.E.I., if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty big pointy teeth

Dwight Schrute: - March 1, 2013 at 11:10:34

FACT: Knowing Frank, you could not have a better spokesperson for PEI. In personal or professional settings he not only promotes PEI but he represents what an Islander is. From a successful businessman, avid sport fisherman, golfer or someone to have a beer and cigar with, Frank always is welcoming 24/7/365.

PRINCE RULES: - March 1, 2013 at 10:51:08

I wonder if Mr.Lewis asked them to stop using Adam Lambert as their lead singer , what a disgrace !

fred: - March 1, 2013 at 10:50:41

I know how he must of felt . I felt like that ;the first time i seen the tooth fairy .Since we have a king now ( king harper) we do not need a queen .This might of been an honor back in the 15 hundreds to have a queen .This happens to be 2013 . I can;t believe that some people are still caught up in this foolishness; when there are people ; right here in canada; that are hungry and homeless. I think tax payers money could be better spent.

LA

- March 1, 2013 at 14:46:48

If you can't grasp that others have interests that you don't happen to share, that's a deficiency on your part, not theirs.

Olive: - March 1, 2013 at 09:40:10

How exciting to actually meet the Queen. It is an opportunity of a lifetime and I am so glad their Honor's had the chance to be there to represent PEI.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY: - March 1, 2013 at 09:07:17

Right on Don ! Frank Lewis representing the Queen on PEI,give me a break.This is a total & utter waste of tax payers dollars.How much did it cost to fly Lewis & the Mrs. across the pond to jolly old England & guess who paid for it ... we did ! Get rid of the Lt.Gov. position.Maybe we could set Mike Duffy up at the place & Duff could claim it as his year round " cottage " in Charlottetown.

Shameful and disgusting: - March 1, 2013 at 08:49:57

Here is patronage, total waste of money for a stooge showing.

monarchy - anarchy: - March 1, 2013 at 08:16:53

I do agree with DON, although I'm sure Frank Lewis is a wonderful person, I can't help but wonder how much money was wasted for him to visit this antiquated figurehead. Why oh why do we still cling to the monarchy? It has absolutely no bearing on our current government. Ask anyone under the age of 50 and they couldn't care less about it. It's time we cut the royal umbilical cord, considering most of PEI's population is Irish - Scottish, then why do we continue to love and support something that has historically proven to be tyrranical towards our ancestors? Ooooh, look it's the queen! Who cares! Stop wasting money, and not just us, the rest of the country as well!

don: - March 1, 2013 at 02:29:27

talk about money wasted and a PATRONAGE job. get rid of his job and close the place or make it in to shelter.i would like to know how many hours a day does he do government work and he should not be doing less then 8 hours a day 52 weeks a year.

To Don

- March 1, 2013 at 08:57:23

His Honour does at least 8 hours a day, works holidays (New Years, for example) and gives of his time unselfishly, covering all of PEI. In fact, being Lt. Gov requires that he be able to work morning, noon and night, 52 weeks of the year, no weekends off. You want the job Don?