Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret welcome home their parents at Southampton - 1939

Royal Tour - 1939

The visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) to Canada in 1939 was truly historic, the first time a reigning monarch had visited this country. For Mackenzie King, it was one of the momentous events of his life. As Prime Minister, he travelled with the royal visitors for their entire tour, across Canada and back, sharing the spotlight and taking part in all the festivities. As Minister in Attendance, he also accompanied the King and Queen on their visit to the United States.

In Europe, it was apparent that war was looming, and one of the main reasons for the royal tour was to stimulate Canadian affection and support for Britain in the coming conflict. President F.D. Roosevelt invited the King and Queen to visit the United States as well, and, especially in light of the international situation, the British gladly seized this opportunity to strengthen their friendship with the Americans.

Mackenzie King felt particularly pleased to be chosen as the sole Minister in Attendance for the U.S. stage of the tour. Normally, for a royal visit to a non-Commonwealth state, the monarch would be accompanied by one of his British ministers, but on this occasion, King was given the honour. In his diary, King expressed delight at the "poetic justice" of his accompanying the great-grandson of Queen Victoria to the United States, since King's grandfather, William Lyon Mackenzie, had been forced to flee to the United States after Queen Victoria placed a £1000 price on his head. (Diary, April 10, 1939)

An enormous amount of work went into the preparation of the royal tour. The King and Queen would arrive in Canada by ship and travel across the country by train. Both the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian National Railways offered their services, and a royal train was assembled, using some of their best carriages. Two specially fitted convertible McLaughlin-Buicks would whisk the royal couple around in towns and cities.

One protocol question to be resolved was what role the Governor General, as the monarch's representative in Canada, should play in the tour. The Governor General, Lord Tweedsmuir, respected the increased powers that the Statute of Westminster of 1931 had given the Dominions, and he felt it appropriate that Canadians should be in charge of the royal tour of Canada. Nevertheless, he considered it his role to greet the King and Queen on their arrival in Canada, and escort them to Ottawa. The Prime Minister would then accompany them for the rest of their journey. Mackenzie King, however, wanted to be the one to welcome the royal couple when their ship arrived. The staff at Laurier House and Rideau Hall debated this point furiously in the weeks leading up to the royal visit. In the end, the Governor General's role was diminished even further than he had anticipated. He did not greet the King and Queen until they reached Ottawa. There they stayed with him and his wife at Government House, and he joined them later for the farewell in Halifax. At other times the Governor General was not involved, and Mackenzie King played the predominant role as host.