B.C. mourns Queen Elizabeth II’s death

Queen Elizabeth II, the only monarch many Canadians have ever known, has died at the age of 96. Despite her passing, her legacy is likely to live on across Canada, including in B.C.

According to the Monarchist League of Canada, she’s been to B.C. on 12 different visits.

She’s believed to have met, shaken hands, or spoken to (in person) over 100,000 British Columbians during her reign, with many people in this province having some sort of a personal connection to her.

The Queen died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland Thursday. She had been put under medical supervision after doctors became concerned for her health.

Her family gathered to be with her.

The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022

Her last trip to this province was in 2002 with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, for her Golden Jubilee. Prior to her final visit, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip opened the Commonwealth Games in Victoria in 1994.

“We’ve had 12 prime ministers come and go during her reign. We’ve had a lot of changes in our lives and in our society. If you look at photographs of her on her earlier trips to British Columbia, W.A.C. Bennett is there in a top hat and her later trips Gordon Campbell is wearing more relaxed attire, so are the crowds and our architecture looks different,” Bruce Hallsor with the Monarchist League and Canada told CityNews.

“Everything seems to have changed in the world in 70 years, except we’ve had the same Queen. I think that’s been a measure of reassurance and I think she’s been very good at her job of providing us with that stability to allow us to navigate a changing world.”

Related article: Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, dies at 96

Despite infrequent travels to B.C. in the past two decades, the Monarchist League notes the province was a favourite destination of hers. She and her relatives have taken part in a number of events and regiments over the years, and some of her family members even have property here.

“As somebody who grew up and lives in British Columbia, I can’t really think of a big milestone in our province that didn’t become a royal occasion or wasn’t made more special by that royal presence, whether that’s the Commonwealth Games in Victoria … and many, many other times. When we’ve had other events, the presence of our monarch made those events much more special, made the crowds larger, brought people together. We were no longer divided by partisan lines during those royal tours, we were no longer divided by region,” said Hallsor.

B.C. Premier John Horgan released a statement offering his condolences, saying the Queen will “always be remembered for her full-hearted service to people”

“The Queen held a special place in her heart for British Columbia. We were honoured to host the Queen seven times, six as reigning monarch. With each visit, the Queen brought British Columbians together in common purpose,” said Horgan’s statement.

https://twitter.com/jjhorgan/status/1567953137557983233

Queen Elizabeth II is the only monarch many Canadians have ever known.

“The Queen is a part of our lives. She’s a part of my life, for my entire life, and there are very few Canadians who remember another monarch. She’s this constant presence, she’s been with us for more than 70 years,” explained Hallsor, who adds the Queen’s passing has left “a void.”

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II attends the opening ceremony for the Borders railway route at Tweedbank station, Scotland, Wednesday Sept. 9, 2015. The Queen has become the longest ever reigning monarch in British history surpassing Queen Victoria who served for 63 years and seven months. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)

On a provincial level, Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin is the Queen’s representative in B.C. Lieutenant governors in Canada act as “the highest ranking officers of their province.”

In a statement, Austin says the Queen was a steadfast presence who touched generations of Canadian families.

“The impact of the reign of Her Majesty cannot be understated; the passing of this Queen represents the end of an era defined by its longevity and her ceaseless service. On behalf of all British Columbians, I extend my great sympathies to The Royal Family and to all members of the Commonwealth for the loss of our most beloved Queen.”

Queen Elizabeth II was the most-travelled monarch in history, visiting Canada on more than 22 different occasions. Her last trip to this country was in 2010.

-With files from Martin MacMahon