From Haida dancers to a Canucks puck drop: Photos and video of Queen Elizabeth II in B.C.
Elizabeth II made 7 royal visits to the province between 1951 and 2002
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history, has died at age 96.
Over her lifetime, Elizabeth II made seven official visits to British Columbia, including one before she ascended to the throne.
Here are some of the highlights of her royal visits to B.C.:
1951
Princess Elizabeth, 25, and her new husband, Prince Philip, 30, made a month-long coast-to-coast tour of Canada in 1951, standing in for her ailing father, King George VI, as the then heir to the throne. It was Elizabeth's first visit to Canada. Newspapers of the day described it as "the most-covered news event in Canadian history."
They visited Victoria and Nanaimo and had a private retreat in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. While in Vancouver, they attended a football game at UBC.
1959
The Queen and Prince Philip spent six weeks touring all provinces and territories in 1959, travelling on the Royal train in B.C. with stops in Golden, Revelstoke, Kamloops and Spences Bridge. They also visited New Westminster, Victoria and took in "Indian Days" festivities in Nanaimo. During their stop in Vancouver, the royal couple attended a Theatre Under the Stars performance of The Chocolate Soldier in Stanley Park.
1971
The Queen and Prince Philip returned to B.C. in 1971 to mark the province's centenary anniversary of joining Confederation.
They brought their daughter, Princess Anne, then 20, along for the trip.
The royal visitors, along with Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his new wife, Margaret, sailed across from Vancouver to Victoria on the Royal Yacht Britannia. The family made stops in a number of cities in B.C., from the east coast of Vancouver Island to the Okanagan and the North Coast.
1983
The Queen and Prince Philip toured Vancouver, Nanaimo, Vernon and New Westminster over three days in 1983, marking two B.C. milestones: the beginning of the construction of Canada Place for the upcoming Expo 86 in Vancouver and the completion of restoration work on the Parliament Buildings in Victoria.
1994
The Queen and Prince Philip attended the Commonwealth Games in Victoria and had a private retreat at Twin Island. Elizabeth II also made solo visits to CFB Comox and Prince George, where she opened the University of Northern British Columbia.
2002
The Queen made her final visit to B.C. during an 11-day visit to Canada on the last leg of the Commonwealth Golden Jubilee tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of her coronation.
She visited Victoria, unveiling a stained-glass window in the B.C. Parliament Buildings and dropped the puck at a Vancouver Canucks NHL exhibition game.
