Upon her arrival in Canada on Friday, May 3rd, The Princess Royal attended the Commissioning Ceremony for the HMCS Max Bernays, the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Canadian Pacific Fleet.
During her visit, she had the opportunity to tour the ship and meet with some of its crew members.
The following day, on Saturday, May 4th, Her Royal Highness laid a wreath at God’s Acre Cemetery in Esquimalt, as the President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
This historic cemetery is the final resting place of over 2,500 military personnel and their families.
Subsequently, The Princess Royal visited the Maritime Museum of British Columbia Archive to explore some of the items in its archival collection.
In a fascinating historical connection, it was shared that during a visit to Esquimalt in 1951 by the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Prince Philip noted the absence of a naval museum in the region.
Consequently, he reached out to the Greenwich Maritime Museum, leading to the establishment of the Maritime Museum of British Columbia with the sending of objects to start the collection.
Additionally, The Princess Royal visited the FED Urban Farm to learn more about their efforts in setting up home-based food gardens using simple and affordable supplies during the Pandemic.
On Sunday, May 5th, The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence participated in the Battle of the Atlantic Memorial Parade.
This parade commemorates the service and sacrifices made by thousands of Canadians during the longest continuous battle of the Second World War, the Battle of the Atlantic, which aimed to secure control of the North Atlantic Ocean to support the war effort from 1939 to 1945.
Lastly, Her Royal Highness also visited The Royal Victoria Yacht Club (RVYC), the oldest yacht club in western Canada, and the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association, of which she serves as Patron.