Royal Tour Timeline

Last updated on June 27, 2023

His Majesty The King and members of the Royal Family have been visiting B.C. for the past century.  Below is a snapshot of their tours.

2000s

2016, September 24 to October 1 (British Columbia and Yukon)
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and The Duchess of Cambridge toured B.C., visiting Victoria, Vancouver, Bella Bella, Kelowna and Haida Gwaii.

2014, September 12 to 20 (British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex presents The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, attends roundtable discussions with First Nations, and participates in charitable activities in Vancouver, Victoria, and Kelowna.​ 

2013, May 15 to 19  (British Columbia)
Prince Andrew, Duke of York presents The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, tours the University of British Columbia’s Brain Treatment Department in Vancouver, and attends the Highland Games in Victoria.

2010, March 18 to 22  (British Columbia)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex attend the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games as patrons of the British Paralympic Society. They also attend The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ceremony in Vancouver.

2010, February 9 to 16  (British Columbia)
Princess Anne, Princess Royal, attends the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver as a member of the International Olympic Committee.

2009, November 2 to 10  (British Columbia, Newfoundland, Ontario and Quebec)
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and the Duchess of Cornwall visit B.C. for the first time as a couple. Their official welcome was held at the Parliament Buildings, and they attended a service at Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria. In Vancouver they toured the Olympic and Paralympic Village.  

2009, June 3 to 8  (British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex attend The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ceremony in Vancouver.

2006, June 1 to 9  (British Columbia and Alberta)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex visit Vancouver and Victoria, where they attend The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ceremony.

2003, June 12 to 17  (British Columbia and Ontario)
Prince Andrew, Duke of York visits Pearson College of the Pacific (Pearson College UWC) in Victoria.

2003, May 6 to 12  (British Columbia and Ontario)
Prince Andrew, Duke of York presents The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at a ceremony in Vancouver. He also attended the Children’s Circle of Care Conference and took part in the ground-breaking ceremony for the Child and Youth Mental Health Building at B.C. Children’s Hospital.

2002, October 4 to 15  (British Columbia, Nunavut, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick)
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh tour Nunavut, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and New Brunswick on the occasion of The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. In B.C., they visit Victoria, where The Queen unveiled a stained-glass window in the B.C. Parliament Buildings and dropped the puck at an NHL exhibition game in Vancouver.

 

2000, November 23 to 26  (British Columbia)
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and the Duchess of Kent attend the dedication ceremony of the Waveney-class lifeboat “White Rose of Yorkshire” in Vancouver.

1990s

1999, March 9 to 10  (British Columbia)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the Countess of Wessex visit and attend The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Gold Award ceremony and a Charter for Business reception in Vancouver.

1998, March 23 to 28  (British Columbia)
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry visit and participate in official engagements in Vancouver, followed by a private holiday in Whistler.

1994, August 13 to 29  (British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the Countess of Wessex, attend the Commonwealth Games and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award ceremonies in Victoria and Kelowna.

1994, August 13 to 22 (British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Northwest Territories)
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh open the Commonwealth Games in Victoria and had a private retreat at Twin Island. The Queen visited CFB Comox and Prince George, and The Duke of Edinburgh visited Prince Rupert and the Khutzeymateen Valley.

1993, September 30 to October 3  (British Columbia and Ontario)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the Countess of Wessex, attend a meeting of the Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation, visit the 1994 Commonwealth Games sites, and attend The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards ceremony in Victoria.

1993, March 26 to April 15  (British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the Countess of Wessex, attend fundraising dinners for the Commonwealth Games and present The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to recipients at a ceremony in Vancouver. The trip includes a private ski holiday in the Rocky Mountains.

1992, March 7 to 12  (British Columbia and Alberta)
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh attends World Wildlife Fund engagements in Vancouver and Victoria.

1991, October 23 to 26  (British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta)
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex visits Vancouver and attends fundraising dinners and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award presentations. Prince Edward also meets with the organizers of the Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

1980s

1989, May 16 to 17  (British Columbia)
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh made an overnight stop in Victoria and dined with the Lieutenant Governor David Lam.

1987, October 9 to 24  (British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec)
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed a private retreat in Qualicum Beach before spending time in Vancouver and Greater Victoria, attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. During this visit, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled B.C.’s new, updated Coat of Arms.

1986, April 30 to May 7  (British Columbia)
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and The Princess of Wales opened Expo 86 in Vancouver. They also visited Victoria, Prince George, Kamloops and Nanaimo.

1983, March 8 to March 11  (British Columbia)
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrived in Victoria on the Royal Yacht Britannia. The royal couple also visited Vancouver, Nanaimo, Vernon, Kamloops (The Duke of Edinburgh only), and New Westminster during their West Coast tour.

1982, October 29 to 31  (British Columbia)
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales visited Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific (Pearson College UWC) in Victoria

1980, March 30 to April 3  (British Columbia and Ontario)
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales visited Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific (Pearson College UWC) and attended meetings of the International Council of United World Colleges in Vancouver.

1970s

1979, April 1 to 7  (British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Manitoba, and Ontario)
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales made his first visit to British Columbia with a stop in Victoria.  

1971, May 3 to 12  (British Columbia)
Queen Elizabeth II, The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Princess Royal, Princess Anne visited B.C. on the Royal Yacht Britannia to mark the centenary of B.C.’s entry into confederation. They visited several B.C. cities including Greater Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Tofino (Princess Anne only), Comox, Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon, Prince Rupert and Williams Lake.

1960s

1969, October 16 to 31   (British Columbia, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Quebec and Alberta)
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited B.C. to study operations of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

1962, June 13 to June 28  (British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec)
Princess Mary, the then Princess Royal visited Victoria and Vancouver for the presentation of colours to the Canadian Scottish Regiment.

1962, May 12 to June 3  (British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec)
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh attended the Commonwealth Study Conference sessions in Vancouver. While there, he presented colours to the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada.

1950s

1959 June 18 to August 1 (Tour of Canada – all provinces and territories)  
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited several cities on their journey through B.C. on the royal train. Stops included Golden, Revelstoke, Kamloops and Spences Bridge. They also visited New Westminster, Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo.  

1954, July 29 to August 17 (British Columbia, Ontario, Northwest Territories and Quebec)
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Victoria, attended the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, and toured a smelter in Kitimat. 

1951, October 8 to November 12 (Coast to Coast Tour of Canada)
Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrived in Vancouver by train, visited Victoria and Nanaimo, and enjoyed a private retreat in Qualicum Beach.

1940s & Prior

1941
The Earl of Athlone, with his wife Princess Alice, resided in Canada as Governor General.  They visited all provinces and territories.

1939, May 28 to 31
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth undertook a six-week coast-to-coast tour of Canada.  This was the first visit by a reigning British monarch.  

1927, August  17 to 23
Edward, Prince of Wales, and Prince George visited Canada for the Diamond Jubilee of the Confederation.   

1926
Prince George (later Duke of Kent) visited parts of Canada, including the West Coast. 

1919, September
Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), undertook a two-month tour of Canada.

1912, September
The Duke of Connaught accompanied by the Duchess of Connaught, officiated at the ceremony naming the brand-new Connaught Bridge (known as Cambie Bridge).  

1901, September 27 to 28
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (later King George V and Queen Mary) toured Canada coast-to-coast as part of an Empire-wide voyage.  Visits included Victoria and Vancouver.

1890
The Duke of Connaught resided in 1869-70 before becoming Governor General. He toured Vancouver and Victoria.

1882, September 20 to October 27
As Governor General, The Marquess of Lorne, accompanied by his wife, Princess Louise, visited B.C.  
 

Contact information

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