ANNAPOLIS ROYAL, NOVA SCOTIA
Links to the Monarchy
Games. She put her personal mark
on Annapolis Royal when she
stitched in gold thread near the heart
on the image of her great-great
grand-mother, Queen Victoria. A
piece of the tapestry was taken to
Government House in Halifax
where Her Majesty graciously put
in her gold stitches and signed Fort
Anne's book.
Queen Elizabeth II will surpass
Queen Victoria’s reign on Sept. 9,
2015 and become the longest
reigning monarch in British history.
The Diamond Jubilee of The
Prince of Wales' great-great-great
Grandmother, Queen Victoria, was
celebrated on the grounds of Fort
Anne in 1897 as depicted in the
photo of children dancing around
the Maypole. One of the Diamond
Jubilee events in 2012 for Prince
Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth
II, was also held at Fort Anne. A
special reception was hosted at the
Hillsdale House Inn for The
Historical Association of Annapolis
Royal by Brigadier-General The
Honourable J.J. Grant, CMM,
ONS, CD (Ret'd), Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II's representative
in the province.
His Royal Highness' great-
In addition to a colourful,
shared heritage with Great Britain,
Annapolis Royal, NS also has many
direct ties to The Royal Family.
Over half of the buildings in
town are either Federal, Provincial
or Municipal registered heritage
properties. In 2006, Annapolis
Royal was honoured with the Prince
of Wales Award for outstanding
stewardship of the built heritage.
Prince Charles' great-great-
great-great grandfather, Prince
Edward the Duke of Kent, built the
Officers' Quarters at Fort Anne in
Annapolis Royal in 1797 while
serving as commander of the British
forces in Nova Scotia. The Officers'
Quarters he erected now serve as the
museum at Fort Anne, Canada's
oldest National Historic Site.
One of the highlights of Fort
Anne NHS today is the 8' tall x 18'
wide Heritage Tapestry. It was
stitched by over 120 volunteers to
commemorate 400 years of
European settlement in our region
and was over 4 years in the making.
During this time, in 1994, His Royal
Highness' mother, Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II, was on her way
to Victoria, British Columbia for the
opening of the Commonwealth
grandfather, Prince George of
Wales, later His Majesty King
George V, stayed at the Hillsdale
House when he visited Annapolis
Royal in 1884 while serving in the
Royal Navy. He came for a four-day
fishing trip. His Royal Highness
signed the guest book, and the room
in which he resided is coveted today
by everyone who stays at the
Hillsdale House Inn, 130 years later.
Prince Charles' brother, His
Royal Highness Prince Andrew,
visited Annapolis Royal in 1985 on
the 100th Anniversary of Parks
Canada and did a walk about the
grounds of Fort Anne.
The Prince of Wales' aunt, Her
Royal Highness Princess Margaret,
visited Annapolis Royal in 1957 and
signed the guest book at St. Luke's
Anglican Church. As Heir to The
Throne, Prince Charles will become
the Head of The Church of England.
The first Church of England service
celebrated in Canada was held on
the Fort Anne grounds in Annapolis
Royal in October 1710.
EXPLORER,
2015 Official Visitors Guide, Page 31
The Explorer visited with Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, during The Royal Tour in 2014 about
Annapolis Royal’s numerous links to the monarchy and invited them to visit someday in person. The Explorer
was also on hand in 2010 for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Official Reception in Nova Scotia.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OF
THE EXPLORER’S COVERAGE
OF THE ROYAL TOUR.