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Ready to welcome royalty
By Don Fraser
St Catharines Standard
Local News - Tuesday, May 31, 2005 @ 01:00
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is all smiles during the Surrey Heath Charity Golf Day at the Camberley Golf Club in England late last month. The countess will be in Niagara this weekend.
Photo: CP File Photo by David Hartley, Rex Features
A training exercise, a church service and an investiture are among the events planned in St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake during a whirlwind royal tour this weekend.
Royal Family watchers may not have many chances to see Sophie, Countess of Wessex, however. All appearances, except one, are so far by invitation only.
The countess, who is married to Queen Elizabeth's youngest son, Prince Edward, is visiting Niagara as the new colonel-in-chief of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.
The countess was appointed colonel-in-chief last Oct. 13, which was the same date Sir Isaac Brock fell during the Battle of Queenston Heights in 1812.
She is also the first person to hold the appointment in the history of the storied regiment, which has been in the region for more than 200 years.
"This appointment is of historical importance for the Niagara region,â ? said Lt.-Col. Roy Dwyer, commanding officer of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. He spoke Monday at a media event held at the Lake Street Armoury in St. Catharines.
"The Countess of Wessex is extremely and genuinely interested in her forthcoming visit to the regiment and Niagara region,â ? said Dwyer. "The regiment itself is looking forward to her inclusion in our regimental family and a long association as our colonel-in-chief.â ?
The main event will be a public ceremony at St. Catharines' Montebello Park Sunday morning in which the countess will be invested as the regiment's colonel-in-chief. The Lincoln and Welland Veterans Association and two regiment-affiliated cadet corps will also participate.
All other events in her Niagara schedule are private and by invitation only. According to the regiment, her itinerary is also tentative.
On Saturday, she'll be at a training exercise from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Homer Bridge area along the east bank of the Welland Canal.
According to a National Defence media release, the exercise will include at least one helicopter, blank ammunition, smoke canisters and other pyrotechnics.
The event is not public and Niagara Regional Police will be present to keep the people away from the training area.
Starting at about 3:15 p.m., the countess will attend a small civic reception at the old court house in Niagara-on-the-Lake, followed by a visit to Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery on Regional Road 55 from around 4 to 5 p.m.
"The visit to a winery I understand is a request from herself,â ? said Dwyer at the media conference. "She knows we are a wine-producing area and she's very much interested in seeing the wineries.â ?
A regimental dinner will be held by the Lincoln and Welland Foundation at Queen's Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake at 7 p.m..
On Sunday at 10 a.m., she will attend a service at St. George's Anglican Church on Church Street in St. Catharines.
The Montebello Park investiture and parade is open to the public. The ceremony starts at 10:45 a.m. and continues until about noon and may include a public walk by the countess. People are asked to bring their own lawn chairs and seat themselves before the event starts.
At the park, the countess will help dedicate an Ontario Heritage plaque to the late Colonel Graham Thomson Lyall, a member of 19th Lincoln Regiment - a predecessor to the Lincoln and Welland regiment. Lyall was awarded the Victoria Cross for heroic duty during the First World War.
The plaque will be installed in the Lake Street Armoury's memorial garden.
The countess will not be joined in Niagara by her husband Prince Edward, who has public duties elsewhere in Ontario.
Dwyer said security for the weekend trip will include the countess' own security detail, with general assistance from the RCMP, NRP and Scotland Yard.
"We are excited and we're looking forward to the visit,â ? said St. Catharines Mayor Tim Rigby at the media conference.
"I've tried to learn the proper protocol and hopefully won't embarrass everybody by stumbling behind her, or something of that nature.â ?
Meanwhile, at Monday night's city council meeting, councillors agreed to waive the $2,200 in user fees for the use of Montebello Park and the city's portable stage.
"I am not really interested in helping the Royal Family so much because they have plenty of money,â ? said Port Dalhousie Councillor Bruce Williamson. "But if the seating is for veterans who served our country or for citizens who wish to attend, I can support it.â ?
The following is the tentative Niagara itinerary for Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Times are approximate and subject to change. All events are private, except Sunday morning's investiture and parade in Montebello Park.
Saturday, June 4
"¢ Between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., the Lincoln and Welland Regiment holds a field training exercise in the Homer Bridge area by the Welland Canal. The countess will attend the exercise and visit with the regiment.
"¢ About 3:15 p.m., a small civic reception is to be held at the old court house in Niagara-on-the-Lake, followed by a trip to Jackson Triggs Estate Winery from 4 to 5 p.m.
"¢ At 7 p.m., a regimental dinner, hosted by the Lincoln and Welland Foundation, takes place at Queen's Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Sunday, June 5
"¢ At 10 a.m., the countess attends a service at St. George's Anglican Church on Church Street in St. Catharines.
"¢ From 10:45 a.m. until noon (approximately), the public investiture of the Countess of Wessex as colonel-in-chief of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and other ceremonies will take place at Montebello Park, St. Catharines. The countess may also do a public walk. People must be in the park before 10:45 a.m. and provide their own lawn chairs.
By Don Fraser
St Catharines Standard
Local News - Tuesday, May 31, 2005 @ 01:00
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is all smiles during the Surrey Heath Charity Golf Day at the Camberley Golf Club in England late last month. The countess will be in Niagara this weekend.
Photo: CP File Photo by David Hartley, Rex Features
A training exercise, a church service and an investiture are among the events planned in St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake during a whirlwind royal tour this weekend.
Royal Family watchers may not have many chances to see Sophie, Countess of Wessex, however. All appearances, except one, are so far by invitation only.
The countess, who is married to Queen Elizabeth's youngest son, Prince Edward, is visiting Niagara as the new colonel-in-chief of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.
The countess was appointed colonel-in-chief last Oct. 13, which was the same date Sir Isaac Brock fell during the Battle of Queenston Heights in 1812.
She is also the first person to hold the appointment in the history of the storied regiment, which has been in the region for more than 200 years.
"This appointment is of historical importance for the Niagara region,â ? said Lt.-Col. Roy Dwyer, commanding officer of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. He spoke Monday at a media event held at the Lake Street Armoury in St. Catharines.
"The Countess of Wessex is extremely and genuinely interested in her forthcoming visit to the regiment and Niagara region,â ? said Dwyer. "The regiment itself is looking forward to her inclusion in our regimental family and a long association as our colonel-in-chief.â ?
The main event will be a public ceremony at St. Catharines' Montebello Park Sunday morning in which the countess will be invested as the regiment's colonel-in-chief. The Lincoln and Welland Veterans Association and two regiment-affiliated cadet corps will also participate.
All other events in her Niagara schedule are private and by invitation only. According to the regiment, her itinerary is also tentative.
On Saturday, she'll be at a training exercise from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Homer Bridge area along the east bank of the Welland Canal.
According to a National Defence media release, the exercise will include at least one helicopter, blank ammunition, smoke canisters and other pyrotechnics.
The event is not public and Niagara Regional Police will be present to keep the people away from the training area.
Starting at about 3:15 p.m., the countess will attend a small civic reception at the old court house in Niagara-on-the-Lake, followed by a visit to Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery on Regional Road 55 from around 4 to 5 p.m.
"The visit to a winery I understand is a request from herself,â ? said Dwyer at the media conference. "She knows we are a wine-producing area and she's very much interested in seeing the wineries.â ?
A regimental dinner will be held by the Lincoln and Welland Foundation at Queen's Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake at 7 p.m..
On Sunday at 10 a.m., she will attend a service at St. George's Anglican Church on Church Street in St. Catharines.
The Montebello Park investiture and parade is open to the public. The ceremony starts at 10:45 a.m. and continues until about noon and may include a public walk by the countess. People are asked to bring their own lawn chairs and seat themselves before the event starts.
At the park, the countess will help dedicate an Ontario Heritage plaque to the late Colonel Graham Thomson Lyall, a member of 19th Lincoln Regiment - a predecessor to the Lincoln and Welland regiment. Lyall was awarded the Victoria Cross for heroic duty during the First World War.
The plaque will be installed in the Lake Street Armoury's memorial garden.
The countess will not be joined in Niagara by her husband Prince Edward, who has public duties elsewhere in Ontario.
Dwyer said security for the weekend trip will include the countess' own security detail, with general assistance from the RCMP, NRP and Scotland Yard.
"We are excited and we're looking forward to the visit,â ? said St. Catharines Mayor Tim Rigby at the media conference.
"I've tried to learn the proper protocol and hopefully won't embarrass everybody by stumbling behind her, or something of that nature.â ?
Meanwhile, at Monday night's city council meeting, councillors agreed to waive the $2,200 in user fees for the use of Montebello Park and the city's portable stage.
"I am not really interested in helping the Royal Family so much because they have plenty of money,â ? said Port Dalhousie Councillor Bruce Williamson. "But if the seating is for veterans who served our country or for citizens who wish to attend, I can support it.â ?
The following is the tentative Niagara itinerary for Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Times are approximate and subject to change. All events are private, except Sunday morning's investiture and parade in Montebello Park.
Saturday, June 4
"¢ Between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., the Lincoln and Welland Regiment holds a field training exercise in the Homer Bridge area by the Welland Canal. The countess will attend the exercise and visit with the regiment.
"¢ About 3:15 p.m., a small civic reception is to be held at the old court house in Niagara-on-the-Lake, followed by a trip to Jackson Triggs Estate Winery from 4 to 5 p.m.
"¢ At 7 p.m., a regimental dinner, hosted by the Lincoln and Welland Foundation, takes place at Queen's Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Sunday, June 5
"¢ At 10 a.m., the countess attends a service at St. George's Anglican Church on Church Street in St. Catharines.
"¢ From 10:45 a.m. until noon (approximately), the public investiture of the Countess of Wessex as colonel-in-chief of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and other ceremonies will take place at Montebello Park, St. Catharines. The countess may also do a public walk. People must be in the park before 10:45 a.m. and provide their own lawn chairs.
We are doing a sort of "mock-battle" with blanks and the whole 9-yards, should be fun!
