Royal couple relaxes in Victoria
Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall arrive in Victoria for some free time on their Canadian tour.
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For a change, the schedule for royals visiting Victoria isn’t so full.
Other than an official welcome at the B.C. legislature on Friday, a Saturday dinner, church on Sunday and touring CFB Esquimalt, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, don’t have much on the official agenda in Victoria this weekend.
And that’s the way they want it.
Victoria is the only city in the couple’s 11-day Canada tour where Charles and Camilla will have free time.
Canadian Heritage officials remain tight-lipped on the details of the couple’s schedule for the weekend visit to Victoria.
What is confirmed is that after flying from Toronto to Victoria this Friday, the couple will be welcomed at the legislature at 4 p.m. On Saturday they fly to Vancouver for a full day of events, then it’s back to Victoria for dinner that evening at Government House with Lt.-Gov. Steven Point and his wife.
The next morning they will attend a Nov. 8 service marking Remembrance Day week at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral. The cathedral’s Rev. Logan McMenamie said the couple have asked to attend a typical Sunday morning service.
“That’s kind of difficult, because when you bring the royal couple to the cathedral it’s not going to be a normal Sunday morning,” he said.
Also, Sunday morning is usually a communion service and the Royal Family doesn’t attend public communion services, McMenamie added.
“But, we’re going to make it as much as possible a cathedral event for them as we can.”
The remembrance service will include uniformed veterans, a piper and a bugler. One parishioner, Louise Reid, will sing a contemporary hymn, This Ancient Love, accompanied by the congregation and organist. Christ Church Cathedral school choir will also sing God Bless the Prince of Wales.
A new stained glass window, a depiction of when the angel Gabriel tells Mary she will have a baby, will be dedicated by the royal couple.
“They’re contemporary but have a lasting element to them,” McMenamie said of the window panels, designed by local artisan Ed Schaefer.
McMenamie said church staff had known for several weeks the couple would be attending the 10:30 a.m. service, but couldn’t tell people until last Wednesday.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall leave Victoria on Monday, after a morning tour of CFB Esquimalt.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
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