Queen Elizabeth II's Legacy

Queen Elizabeth II has toured extensively throughout her historic reign and travelled across Canada from coast to coast to coast. Although she cannot always be in Canada, her legacy here continues to grow. Her Majesty has planted five ceremonial trees on the grounds of Rideau Hall, the residence of the Governor General—four during her reign as Canada's Queen. She was still a princess in 1951, during her first tour to Canada with her husband The Duke of Edinburgh. It was then that she planted her first tree on the grounds. That sugar maple would be followed by a red maple in 1957, a red oak in 1977, a bur oak in 2002, and a red oak in 2010, during her most recent Royal Tour of Canada. These trees stand as a living timeline of Her Majesty's connection with Canada. A physical reminder of her time spent in Ottawa, they also sew together her many tours across the country throughout her reign.

The planting of ceremonial trees on the grounds of Rideau Hall has been an established tradition since the early 1900s. Dignitaries and heads of State from around the world have commemorated their visits with these living souvenirs. The grounds of Rideau Hall now boast more than 130 of these ceremonial trees, which are identified by detailed plaques at the base of each tree.

Since 1906, 19 trees have been planted by various members of the Royal Family, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, and the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in 2009.

For more information on the grounds of Rideau Hall and how you can visit, see our Visit Us page.

Did you know?

• Shortly before Her Majesty's first tour of Canada (as Princess Elizabeth) in 1951, a marked decline in her father's health prompted a postponement of the planned journey. Although the trip was soon reconfirmed, King George VI required surgery, which delayed the scheduled 33-day Royal Tour by one week. The reception upon the future Queen’s arrival in Canada was electric. She later said about the Canadian people, "They have placed in our hearts a love for their country and its people which will never grow cold and which will always draw us to their shores."
  Indeed, the Princess was welcomed warmly across the country. On their last night in Ottawa, Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh were entertained in the Ballroom of Rideau Hall with an evening of country dancing. Dressed from head to toe in Canadian cowboy attire—including checkered shirts, with a flared skirt for the Princess and blue jeans for the Duke—the two square-danced with roughly 80 other dancers including the then-Governor General and his wife, Viscount and Viscountess Alexander of Tunis.
• Although brief, Her Majesty's first official tour of Canada since her ascension to the Throne was marked by a historic event for Canadians. Queen Elizabeth II opened the 23rd session of Parliament by reading the Speech from the Throne in the Senate—the first time the Sovereign had done so in person. The Speech was filmed and broadcast across Canada. Some senators found the lights from the film crews so bright that they were seen sporting dark sunglasses in the Senate. You can watch Her Majesty's 1957 Speech from the Throne here.
• When Her Majesty returned in 1977, on her 11th official tour of Canada (10th as Queen), she was celebrating her Silver Jubilee (25 years as queen). For the second time, The Queen read the Speech from the Throne in the Senate, opening the 30th session of Parliament. During this tour, involvement in the arts and sciences were highlighted by a special evening with The Queen and an assembly of accomplished Canadians, including Karen Kain, the then-principal dancer of the National Ballet, and Gerhard Herzberg, the National Research Council's Nobel Prize winner. It was on the same day that she planted her third tree, a red oak, on the grounds of Rideau Hall that Her Majesty also unveiled a special plaque commemorating the 25th anniversary of Canadian governors general: Vincent Massey, Georges Vanier, Roland Michener and Jules Léger.
• On the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, marking 50 years since ascending to the Throne, The Queen, joined by The Duke of Edinburgh, spent 12 days in Canada touring Nunavut, British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick. During this time, Her Majesty unveiled Iqaluit's first street sign (marking Queen Elizabeth II Way at Mivvik Avenue), and dropped the puck at a Vancouver Canucks’ game.
• During her most recent tour of Canada in 2010, Queen Elizabeth celebrated Canada's 143rd birthday with approximately 100 000 Canadians on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, among other events. Stating "It's very good to be home," Her Majesty visited Halifax, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Toronto over the course of nine days. Her busy itinerary included an international fleet review in Halifax aboard the HMCS St. John's and a dedication of the cornerstone of Canada's Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. She was also presented with a hockey jersey featuring her Royal Cypher by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to mark the opening of a Hockey Hall of Fame exhibit in Toronto.