Royalty

In photos: His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh meets with Indigenous leaders at Massey College

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 19:14:57 +0000

In photos: His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh meets with Indigenous leaders at Massey College

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 04/27/2023 - 15:14

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Indigenous Knowledge Keeper James Bird, a PhD student at U of T's John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, welcomes the Duke of Edinburgh to Massey College at the �ؿ�ζSM (all photos by Lisa Sakulensky)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Our Community

Governing Council

Indigenous

Massey College

Royalty

Truth and Reconciliation

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh paid a visit to Massey College at the �ؿ�ζSM to engage members of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation in a dialogue about how his titular awards program could work to empower Indigenous youth.

Prince Edward, who became patron of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award upon inheriting his late father’s title in March, is also the first member of the royal family to visit Massey’s Chapel Royal since it received the designation in 2017.

It’s one of three Chapels Royal in Canada – and the only one with its own title in an Indigenous language: Gi-Chi-Twaa Gimaa Nini Mississauga Anishinaabek AName Amik, or the King’s Anishinaabek Sacred Place.

The event, organized by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell, was styled as a “council” in tribute to the long tradition of similar meetings between Indigenous leaders and representatives of the Crown.

Photographer Lisa Sakulensky was there to capture the event:

Nathalie Des Rosiers, principal of Massey College, welcomes Prince Edward. His predecessor as Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, laid the college’s cornerstone in 1962.

Elder Garry Sault of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation presides over an outdoor ceremony, which started with the lighting of a sacred fire. Prince Edward later presented a tobacco pouch to Elder Sault.

The Duke of Edinburgh sprinkles seeds of Chapel Royal Tobacco in soil to be placed in gardens on the Mississaugas’ Territory and Queen’s Park.

Indigenous Knowledge Keeper James Bird, a PhD student at U of T's John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design who is tobacco keeper at the Chapel Royal, speaks to the role of the Eagle Feather in Indigenous ceremonies.

Gimaa Stacey Laforme, chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, presents gifts to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Indigenous leaders and Crown representatives engage in a discussion about the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program and its pathways for Indigenous youth. The international award program, founded by the late Prince Philip, recognizes youth for achieving goals related to volunteering, physical recreation, skill development and adventurous journey.

Council participants pose for a group photo.

Anna Kennedy, vice-chair and incoming chair of Governing Council, looks on as Prince Edward signs the �ؿ�ζSM Distinguished Visitors’ Guest Book.

Prince Edward chats with a group of students and Massey junior fellows before he departs.

U of T mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II, lowers flags to half-mast

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 23:35:48 +0000

U of T mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II, lowers flags to half-mast

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 09/08/2022 - 19:35

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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died at the age of 96, was the longest-serving monarch in British history (photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

Global Lens

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Sinai Health

Faculty of Arts & Science

Massey College

Meric Gertler

Mount Sinai Hospital

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Queen

Royalty

St. George

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

U of T Libraries

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

The �ؿ�ζSM is mourning the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, who visited the university on numerous occasions.

Flags on all three U of T campuses are being lowered to half-mast in memory of the Queen, who died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at the age of 96. They will remain at half-mast until the day of her state funeral.

The university will also mark the event by having carillonists play the bells in Soldiers’ Tower on Friday at noon, tolling the largest bell once for each year of the Queen’s age at the time of her passing. The royal anthem and O Canada will also be played.

U of T President Meric Gertler said the U of T community joins all Canadians in mourning the loss of the sovereign, noting that, before acceding to the throne, she promised to devote her life to the service of her people.

“She fulfilled that promise with unparalleled grace and dignity, and in so doing set a magnificent example for us all,” President Gertler said in a statement. “Her unfailing devotion to duty has been a constant source of strength and continuity for generations of Canadians as well as countless others around the world.

“Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a world without her.”

Flags fly at half mast at, from left to right, U of T Mississauga, St. George and U of T Scarborough to mark the Queen’s death on Sept. 8, 2022 (photos by Nick Iwanyshyn, Johnny Guatto and Raquel Russell)

He also highlighted the Queen’s contributions to international peace and solidarity through the Commonwealth and noted the U of T community has been enriched by the contributions of students, faculty, librarians, staff and alumni who arrived from or live in fellow Commonwealth countries.

“In tribute to Her Majesty, in this time of sadness and in the years to come, let us remember and learn from her life of dedicated and extraordinarily generous service to others, and give thanks for a life very well lived.”

Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh are greeted at Hart House by U of T Chancellor Vincent Massey (Walter F. Mackenzie/�ؿ�ζSM Archives)

The Queen’s passing comes 14 months after her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died aged 99.

Princess Elizabeth visits Hart House with U of T Chancellor Vincent Massey on Oct.13, 1951 (Walter F. Mackenzie/�ؿ�ζSM Archives)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that it is with the “heaviest of hearts” that Canadians learned of the passing of the country’s longest-reigning sovereign.

“For most Canadians, we have known no other Sovereign. Queen Elizabeth II was a constant presence in our lives. Time and again, Her Majesty marked Canada’s modern history,” he said in a statement.

Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the crown in 1952 at age 25. She went on to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history, marking her Platinum Jubilee this past February.

She is to be succeeded as monarch by her eldest son Charles, Prince of Wales – now King Charles III.

David Onley, former lieutenant governor of Ontario and a senior lecturer in the department of political science at U of T Scarborough, said he has warm recollections of meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2008.

“The experience my wife and I had was quite amazing to us in that the conversation was not superficial. The Queen really engaged in our conversation,” Onley said.

He added that the Queen took great interest in the results of Canada’s federal election, which had taken place the night before. “I was really quite amazed as to how well-briefed she was. She wanted to know about Stephen Harper, she wanted to know about why the Liberals had lost so badly on that occasion – so it wasn’t just a superficial chit-chat.

“At the same time, I would say that she interacted with everybody like that – and that was one of the fundamental reasons for her passing being felt by so many people. Because everybody has stories – if you met the Queen, you had a story – and that was because of her degree of engagement.”

Onley said the Queen’s impeccable reputation during her seven-decade reign – he noted that her first prime minister was Winston Churchill and her last, the recently elected Elizabeth Truss; and that she had met all but one of the U.S. presidents since the Second World War – was testament to her complete devotion to the role.

“This is a particular accomplishment, and you would not have that kind of reputation if you were just effectively mailing in the responsibilities,” Onley said. “She saw it as a lifetime of service and executed that service right to the very end.”

He added that the frequency and range of the Queen’s visits to Ontario and Canada “give you the sense of the degree of interest that she had in this province, and other provinces as well.”

Queen Elizabeth II attends the Festival of Ontario at the CNE in 2002, making a stop in front of the U of T Blue Sky Solar Racing Team’s display (photo via Flickr)

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Toronto seven times, with their first visit taking place in 1951, four months before the Queen’s coronation. On that occasion, the royal couple were driven to the steps of Hart House, where they waved to cheering crowds and posed for photos.

In 1973, the Queen returned to Toronto and laid the cornerstone for the new Mount Sinai Hospital, part of Sinai Health and one of U of T’s partner hospitals. The hospital is located next to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, named in honour of the Queen’s sister.

In 2002, the royal couple visited Toronto again during the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, which coincided with U of T’s 175^th anniversary. During the celebrations, the Queen visited a U of T display where she spoke with undergraduate students from the Blue Sky Solar Racing team who were present with their solar-powered car.

“I recall that the Queen had such a presence,” said Nicolle Wahl, director of content in U of T Mississauga’s Office of Communications, who was present at the U of T display. “[She was] very warm and curious – and it was wonderful to see how excited the students were to meet her.”

A letter written by Princess Elizabeth to U of T Chancellor Vincent Massey dated Feb. 17, 1952 (photo by Larysa Woloszansky)

The Queen’s 22^ndand final tour of Canada took place in 2010 and included a visit to Queen’s Park – named in honour of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria and located amid U of T’s St. George campus – where she presented Ontario Medals for Good Citizenship and waved to thousands of cheering well-wishers.

The Queen’s impact on U of T did not end with her last visit to Toronto, however. In 2017, Massey College announced that the Queen agreed to designate the college’s St. Catherine’s Chapel as the third Chapel Royal in Canada, which made it the first interdenominational Chapel Royal in the country.The request for the designation was made by John Fraser, then the master of Massey College, with the support of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. It was inspired in part by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library has one of 25 souvenir Bibles created to mark the Queen’s coronation in 1953 (photo by Johnny Guatto)

The Queen’s ties with Massey College can be traced back to her close relationship with the college’s founder Vincent Massey, who was Canada’s 18^th Governor General and a U of T chancellor from 1947 to 1953.

Letters written by the Queen to Massey – and preserved at U of T’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library – speak to a warm personal rapport.

In one letter dated February 1952, the Queen responded to a letter of condolence sent to her by Massey upon the passing of her father, King George VI. In her letter, the Queen expresses her gratitude for Massey’s condolences and notes that her father was in much better condition when Massey had last met him, but had then taken a turn for the worse. The Queen also states her regret at the fact that she was on a tour in Africa when her father died and was saddened by not being able to be home to comfort and console her mother and sister.

Another letter written from Balmoral Castle – where the Queen would eventually take her last breath – thanked Massey for being a great governor general. In another letter to Massey, written from Buckingham Palace in 1957, the Queen recounts her visit to the United States.

A letter written by Queen Elizabeth II to Vincent Massey on the occasion of his retirement as governor general of Canada (photo by Johnny Guatto)

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is also in possession of one of 25 souvenir Bibles created to mark the Queen’s coronation in 1953. Bible #1 was used for the coronation ceremony – the Queen gifted Bible #17 to Massey.

Randall Hansen, professor in the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the director of the global migration lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, said the Queen’s many accomplishments include overseeing a modernization of the monarchy – noting as examples her decision to agree to pay income tax and the landmark wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

“Leaving aside how it all ended, the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was a moment of a highly modern monarchy – an inter-racial marriage and a Black Baptist American minister who oversaw the service.”

He added that the Queen’s son and heir to the throne will benefit from the prestige of the monarchy and the Queen’s impact on the institution.

“It is the institution of the Crown, it is the institution of the monarchy that bestows the prestige … that institution will bequeath on him the full prestige of the monarchy,” Hansen said. “I suspect that he’s going to be quite a successful King.”

Hansen said it was remarkable that Queen Elizabeth II, over the course of an extraordinarily long reign, was not embroiled in a scandal of any significance.

“The Queen somehow managed to be above all of that, decade after decade after decade.”

U of T lowers flags to half-mast in memory of Prince Philip

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 20:31:41 +0000

U of T lowers flags to half-mast in memory of Prince Philip

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 04/09/2021 - 16:31

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In May 1962, Prince Philip laid the cornerstone of Massey College, an independent graduate college affiliated with the �ؿ�ζSM (photo courtesy of Massey College)

Topic

The �ؿ�ζSM has lowered its flags to half-mast in memory of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II.

Buckingham Palace said Prince Philip, 99, died Friday at Windsor Castle, where he lived with the Queen during the pandemic.

“The thoughts of all Canadians are with her and the entire Royal Family as they mourn this significant loss,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter.

Flags across U of T’s three campuses will remain at half-mast now until sunset on the day of the funeral or memorial service.

Prince Philip visited Toronto 20 times over the years, stopping more than once at U of T. On their first royal visit to Toronto in 1951, the royal couple posed for pictures and waved to a crowd from the steps of Hart House. In May 1962, Prince Philip laid the cornerstone of Massey College, an independent graduate college affiliated with the university.

“It was a visible statement that Toronto took graduate studies seriously,” wrote historian Martin Friedland of the event.

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip sit inside Hart House in 1951 while Chancellor Vincent Massey stands before a microphone (photo courtesy of the �ؿ�ζSM Archives)

In 2002, the duke returned to Massey to celebrate its 40th anniversary with about 300 people in attendance. According to the National Post, he said in his morning remarks that he felt right at home at Massey because he was chancellor of Cambridge University. University Professor Emerita Ursula Franklin, who was a distinguished physicist and metallurgist who taught at U of T for over 40 years, and John Polanyi, a Nobel laureate in chemistry and University Professor, draped a Massey gown over Prince Philip’s shoulders.

Novelist and U of T alumna Margaret Atwood, a fellow of the college, was quoted in the Toronto Star as saying the duke delivered a good speech. “It was funny. It was short. It had a shape and it was popular,” she said.

Massey was among the prince’s patronages with a Toronto connection, along with the Canadian Club of Toronto, Upper Canada College, the Toronto Club, Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Toronto Press Club and Loyal Canadian Prince Club.

“Prince Philip had a lengthy history of public service to the Commonwealth, particularly Canada,” said Toronto mayor and U of T alumnus John Tory. “Whether it was speaking at the Toronto Board of Trade in 1951 or surprising all with a visit to Toronto in 2013 at age 91 to present a ceremonial flag to the Royal Canadian Regiment’s 3rd Battalion, Prince Philip had a strong connection to our city.”

Buckingham Palace has created an online condolence book. The Canadian government, meanwhile, has set up a page to commemorate Prince Philip that also allows Canadians to share their messages of sympathy.

U of T expert on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement

Romi Levine — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 16:11:24 +0000

U of T expert on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement

Romi Levine Mon, 11/27/2017 - 11:11

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Meghan Markle, with Prince Harry today, will officially join the Royal Family in the spring (photo by Chris Jackson via Getty Images)

Topic

School of Continuing Studies

It’s official: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged.

The much-anticipated announcement was made today following a secret engagement earlier this month.

The prince and Markle, who have been dating for almost a year and a half, became a Toronto obsession after they were spotted in the city when the American actress was living here while filming Suits.

The couple had their first official outing together in September, cheering on athletes at Nathan Phillips Square during the Invictus Games.

With a wedding date set for spring 2018, speculation and fanfare will no doubt be rife leading up to the big day.

U of T News asked royals expert Carolyn Harris, a history instructor at the School of Continuing Studies, how life is set to change for Markle after the royal nuptials.

Meghan Markle is a non-traditional royal-to-be: She’s divorced, mixed-race and Roman Catholic. Does this signal a change in culture and acceptance for the British Royal Family?

The Queen's reign has been a period of tremendous social and political change. In the 1950s, Princess Margaret decided not to marry the divorced Peter Townsend. In the 21^stcentury, these attitudes have changed. Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, a divorcee, in 2005, and now Meghan Markle is being welcomed into the Royal Family. The succession reforms that came into force in 2015 allow members of the Royal Family to marry Roman Catholics and retain their place in the line of succession.

Watch Harris on Global News' The Morning Show

This is set to be a huge life change for Markle. What kinds of responsibilities will she have as a princess that she may not have had before?

Meghan Markle already has experience appearing in public before the media and engaging in humanitarian work and these aspects of her life will continue when she joins the Royal Family.

New responsibilities will include a diplomatic role within the Royal Family and Meghan will attend state dinners with Harry and meet with world leaders. Harry and Meghan will also undertake overseas tours, representing the Queen.

Will she have to give up certain aspects of her current life, such as acting or humanitarian work?

Meghan Markle will almost certainly have to give up her acting career. When Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco, her acting career came to an end. As a senior member of the Royal Family, Meghan will have a busy schedule of public engagements and travel to Commonwealth realms.

In contrast to her acting career, Meghan's humanitarian work will expand when she joins the Royal Family as she will be expected to become patron of a wide range of charities. Philanthropic work is central to the lives of modern members of the Royal Family.

Markle’s title after she weds Harry will change to princess – but not “Princess Meghan” – what determines how she is named?

Princesses born into the Royal Family have the title of princess and then their first names. For example, the Queen's granddaughters are Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. When a prince marries, his wife becomes a princess followed by her husband's name. For example, the wife of the Queen's cousin, Prince Michael of Kent is known as Princess Michael of Kent. When Harry and Meghan marry, Harry will probably receive a dukedom and Harry and Meghan will therefore be known as Duke and Duchess, just as William and Kate are Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The couple has been subject to invasive coverage of their relationship, with Prince Harry speaking out against the abuse in an official statement. Will this be an issue that will plague their relationship in the future – and is this just something that comes along with the territory of being a royal?

Both William and Harry have been determined to carve out a private life in addition to their public engagements. There is intense public interest in the private lives of royalty but William and Kate have carefully controlled access to their children. George and Charlotte appear in public before the media on fewer occasions than many other European royal children, such as Princess Estelle of Sweden.

If Harry and Meghan become parents, they may adopt a similar approach to the press, balancing public and private life.

U of T expert on Diana's legacy, 20 years after her death

ullahnor — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 17:11:45 +0000

U of T expert on Diana's legacy, 20 years after her death

ullahnor Thu, 08/31/2017 - 13:11

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Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in an automobile accident in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997 (photo by Anwar Hussein/WireImage/Getty)

Noreen Ahmed-Ullah

Author legacy

Noreen Ahmed-Ullah

Topic

Global Lens

Royalty

School of Continuing Studies

It's been 20 years since the death of Diana, and yet interest in her, her failed marriage and relationships, her sons and even details about her last moments continue to consume us.

“During her lifetime, Diana was one of the most famous women in the world and spoke openly to the press about the difficulties she faced both as a member of the Royal Family and during the breakdown of her marriage,” says U of T royals expert Carolyn Harris. “The media today is therefore fascinated by any new information, including new insights from her sons and the controversial tapes recorded for Diana's voice coach.”

U of T News spoke with Harris, who teaches history at U of T's School of Continuing Studies and is author of Raising Royalty, 1000 Years of Royal Parenting, about our public fascination with “the people's princess.”

Prince William and Prince Harry view tributes to their mother following a visit on Wednesday to the White Garden in Kensington Palace dedicated in her memory (photo by Anwar Hussein/WireImage/Getty)

Twenty years after her death, why are we still so obsessed with her?

Diana was a unique public figure who combined glamour and vulnerability and became a celebrity in her own right, transcending her role within the Royal Family. She was the most photographed woman in the world, and yet people from all walks of life identified with her and felt as though they knew her because she opened up about the difficulties in her personal life.

When she died, people reacted as though they were grieving someone close to them. Her sudden death prompted speculation that continues to the present day about the impact she would have had on her sons, grandchildren and the monarchy if she had survived.

How has the U.K. media been covering the anniversary of her death?

There are two main components to British media coverage of Diana's death: new insights about Diana's life and legacy and reflection on the impact of Diana's death on British society. During her lifetime, Diana was one of the most famous women in the world and spoke openly to the press about the difficulties she faced as a member of the Royal Family and during the breakdown of her marriage. The media today is therefore fascinated by new information, including new insights from her sons and the controversial tapes recorded for Diana's voice coach.

The U.K. media is also fascinated by the legacy of the public response to Diana's death – the mass outpouring of grief has few parallels in British history. The U.K. media continue to debate whether the mourning that followed Diana's death was an aberration or a sign of lasting changes in British culture regarding expressing emotion in public.

When we talk about Diana, the conversation always turns to Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles. Will Camilla be queen one day or is there enough public resentment toward her to keep that from happening?

When Camilla married Charles, the Prince of Wales in 2005, she was entitled to use the title of Princess of Wales, in the same manner as Diana. Charles is also Duke of Cornwall, and Camilla chose to use the title of Duchess of Cornwall. When Charles becomes king, there is speculation that Camilla, though entitled to be queen, may use a different title, such as princess consort. The more time that passes between Diana's death and Charles' accession to the throne, the more likely it is that Camilla will be described as queen rather than another title.

Is there anyone within the Royal Family today who can potentially fill Diana’s shoes? Kate Middleton? Meghan Markle if she marries Prince Harry?

The public has watched Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, grow up. The two princes have encouraged people to express their emotions as part of raising awareness of mental illness, reflecting Diana's openness with her own feelings.

The Duchess of Cambridge (Kate) is frequently compared to Diana and placed in this context by the public.

The younger generation within the Royal Family has a different approach to balancing their public and private lives. William and Kate are determined to carve out a private life for their young children. While Diana resented press intrusion into aspects of her private life and was quick to tell photographers to give her family space in certain circumstances, such as family ski trips, she was happy to receive positive press coverage for taking her children to amusement parks or embracing them in public.

William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan as well, all place a greater value on privacy in all aspects of their life, so while they are very popular figures, the public does not feel that they know as much about them as they did about Diana.

Prince Philip rumours go viral: U of T expert talks about centuries of royal gossip

Romi Levine — Thu, 04 May 2017 18:36:20 +0000

Prince Philip rumours go viral: U of T expert talks about centuries of royal gossip

Romi Levine Thu, 05/04/2017 - 14:36

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Internet rumours of Prince Philip's death were proven to be untrue. The palace announced the prince will be retiring in the fall (photo by Defence Images via Flickr)

Romi Levine

Author legacy

Romi Levine

Topic

Global Lens

Royalty

Global

School of Continuing Studies

Queen

Late last night, the Internet went berserk with rumours that 95-year-old Prince Philip – Queen Elizabeth II’s husband – had passed away. A palace announcement made this morning proved the story false, stating instead that the prince would be stepping down from royal duties this fall.

How did the Internet get it so wrong? British publications including the The Sun had kicked off the Internet frenzy by posting an article announcing his death after an emergency meeting was called at Buckingham Palace.

U of T News spoke with Carolyn Harris, a royals expert who teaches history at U of T's School of Continuing Studies and author of Raising Royalty, 1000 Years of Royal Parenting, about the public's fascination with the royals and recent pop culture interest in the Queen and Prince Philip.

What do you make of the false rumours? How does this kind of fake news spread so fast?

We've seen this happen before around New Year's when the Queen had a severe cold. There was rampant speculation about the Queen's health until she once again appeared in public. The fact that the Queen and Prince Philip are in their 90s means when anything out of the ordinary happens, whether it's the Queen not appearing in public for a time or an emergency meeting called at the palace, the public tends to assume the worst.

The more benign speculation that happened on the Internet was that simply the Queen's schedule would be changing as Buckingham Palace is due to have renovations – there was speculation the Queen would be spending more time at Windsor and Balmoral.

So the speculation was the full range from the concern about the health of the Queen and Prince Philip all the way to wondering if it was simply a change to the Queen's primary residence.

Does the Internet seem to fan the flames of this kind of speculation?

Certainly the Internet allows speculation and rumour to spread faster. There has always been a fascination with what's going on behind closed doors in the royal household, even if we look back at the 16th and 17th centuries – specifically the 1660s and the diarist Samuel Pepys who used to write about any gossip he heard about King Charles II and his court.

And then in the 19th century when Queen Victoria went into comparative seclusion after the death of Prince Albert in 1861 and was spending a lot of time in the Highlands in the company of her personal servant John Brown, people simply speculated about what goes on behind palace doors.

I think there's always been a strong interest in what's discussed at meetings that aren't open to the public, but the Internet has allowed rumour and speculation to spread a lot more quickly, where it used to be that rumours in the past spread in person or through handwritten letters.

What can you tell us about Prince Philip, who has always been an interesting – and divisive – character, known for his often off-colour gaffes?

Compared to the Queen who is always very careful to remain above politics and not say anything controversial, Prince Philip has been known to speak very frankly.

His gaffes caused more controversy when he was younger. Now that he's in his 90s, for people for whom it's their first time at a Buckingham Palace reception or garden party, they find his sense of humour puts them at ease. There's a sense that he is able to break the tension that can happen when people are nervous about meeting members of the royal family.

It's interesting how we see members of the royal family – sometimes setting the tone or informing cultural trends for the rest of society. When Queen Victoria chose to have a white wedding dress, suddenly everyone wanted a white wedding dress, and they still do. Now with the Queen and Prince Philip, at a time when life expectancies are getting longer, they're demonstrating how active people can remain into their 90s.

The Queen and Prince Philip have re-emerged in the realm of pop culture with the television show The Crown. Do you think that has led to more interest in the present-day royal family?

It definitely fuels a lot of interest in the Queen and Prince Philip.

In the TV series, we see the Queen moving into Buckingham Palace at the age of 25, and the audience knows that at 91, she's still there. And the Queen and Prince Philip will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary this November. So there's the sense that the Queen has presided over a time period of tremendous social, cultural and political change.

The one thing that stands out in The Crown is it emphasizes what a different world it was in 1952 – that having television cameras at Westminster Abbey for the coronation was a new and innovative decision – and you see telephone switchboard operators listening in on conversations. The Crown very much plays up how different society, culture and technology were in the 1950s, compared to today.

Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visit U of T’s Hart House

Romi Levine — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 21:34:42 +0000

Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visit U of T’s Hart House

Romi Levine Tue, 11/08/2016 - 16:34

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Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway visit U of T (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway paid a visit to �ؿ�ζSM’s Hart House as part of their four-day trip to Canada.

They were greeted by Hart House Warden John Monahan.

During the event, Crown Princess Mette-Marit participated in a literature panel with Norwegian authors Erlend Loe and Hilde K. Kvalvaag.

Crown Prince Haakon met with members of the Canadian and Norwegian music industry to discuss what they can learn from each other.

“What better place for this event than Toronto – one of the world’s most multicultural cities – a hub for innovation and a major centre of Canadian creativity,” said Norway State Secretary Tone Skogen.

The crowd also enjoyed a performance by Norwegian folk singer Ida Jenshus.

The royal couple will end their trip in St John’s, N.L.

(All photos by Johnny Guatto and Romi Levine)