Egan: The Windsor family meets Banier’s hopes at a warm royal stopover

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Retired bell worker Celine Dumont, 63, left Kyon at 6 am and was successful in the first line. She arrived at the National War Memorial in the sky at 7 o’clock and was only her and her bird.

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The same morning, a smiling kid named Florence, a 9-year-old fourth-grade student, and a sixth-grade classmate Paul, prepared a blue dress and a nice white sweater, like the Queen’s favorite color. I wore a smart jacket and vest and had a bouquet of flowers instead of a book.

A new high school student, Xander Fallis, 18, wore a suit and tie, and brought her ancestral medals and broaches from Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. “Give him the history of my family.”

Mayor of Ottawa probably for the first time in his long career wore a chain of his office to Byward Market to take pictures with a rabbit walking in a stroller. Rest assured that the rabbit’s name was a day when the details weren’t too small. I’m Jackson, a 3-year-old “mini rex”.

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A royal visit brings out the historic weight of a city like Ottawa, but curious in the federal capital, where there are still enough British to do a decent show of things of the era-probably strange. Crank-The malaise of the monarchy.

And Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, were warmly welcomed at several stops during a busy day’s visit to Ottawa on Wednesday, attracting hundreds of people at two public events.

Under the brilliant spring sky, a wreath and a bouquet were placed at the solemn moment of the war monument, but the crowd was enough to fill the two sidewalks, but the street just before the royal arrival. The black motorcade was complaining about moving across.

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Dorothy Lockhart, 12, was absent from school hoping to meet and wave with one of the royal family. Boy, it worked. Almonte’s 7th grade students were able to shake hands with both the royal couple and Governor Mary Simon.

After a while, she was literally bouncing on the sidewalk. “I was very excited. The weight of my emotions.” She said Charles correctly, “Did you take a day off school?” She said. She added that Camilla was very “kind”.

She inherited her interest in the British royal family from her mother’s Patty, who was taught by her mother.

“In the Tudor era, most of what I really like is dead,” Dorothy said. “Queen Anne Boleyn is my favorite.”

It is difficult to upsize what is actually achieved by these visits. The royal family did not interview, the media was closely debated, and the meeting with the general public seems to be carefully written.

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Still, there is something in the ceremony. There is something in the ordinary soul that is seen and better heard by important historical figures.

Joanne Wink is the principal of Assumption School in Banier. The royal visit there was planned for several months behind the scenes. It is one of the city’s most ethnically diverse schools, serving low-income areas.

“It was an honor to have them here,” Wink said. “We had the opportunity to share who we are.”

Camilla read books in grades 1 and 2 and stopped by immersion classes in grades 5/6 (and spoke French) to support indigenous literacy programs. Meanwhile, Charles met his parents and moved to the gymnasium to learn about the experience of immigrating to Canada.

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On the other side of the street was a pair of people sitting leaning forward, resting on a bicycle, and wandering from work. The Windsor family responded to Banier’s wishes.

“Because of the large number of indigenous peoples and newcomers in our community, we are beginning to talk about reconciliation and what it looks like to powers in Canada and around the world.” I am saying. Wink.

He also said there were several community organizations at hand to meet the royal family. Outside the school, there were also respectful and modest indigenous people, such as drumming and smudging, who met the royal family along the way.

Meanwhile, returning to the market, the couple was given a $ 250 handmade umbrella stand and a card that provided a lifetime supply of beaver tails from the craftsman woodworker Claude “Butch” Bushar.

Mayor Watson said he intends to bring back the royal family to celebrate Byword’s 200th anniversary in 2027, especially given Prince Charles’ interest in agriculture.

The royal family was supposed to take off on Thursday morning.

To contact Kelly Egan, call 613-291-6265 or send an email to kegan@postmedia.com.

Twitter.com/kellyegancolumn