Memory Mondays – Royal Visits

In June, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. As Canada’s Head of State, she has made multiple visits over the years, including one to the Western Development Museum – Saskatoon. Her late younger sister, Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, also paid a visit to the WDM Saskatoon on an official visit.

This month’s #MemoryMondays will share four photos of these royal visits to the WDM.

On July 22, 1959, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited the WDM Saskatoon and Pion-Era and were given a tour by the WDM’s first curator, George Shepherd. This photo shows them at the old location of the WDM Saskatoon, at 11th Street West.
From the same visit, this photo shows George Shepherd on the left, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the centre, and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on the right. They are examining an old wagon in the WDM Collection.
This photo shows a group of people including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh along with then-Saskatoon mayor Sidney Buckwold and his wife Clarice, and Alvin Hamilton, MP from the Qu’Appelle riding, along with his wife Belulah. They are positioned on a stage overlooking Pion-Era festivities.
Our final photo is from Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret’s 1980 visit to the WDM Saskatoon on her tour of Saskatchewan to mark the province’s 75th anniversary. This photo shows her walking through Boomtown, with the telephone operator’s house in the background. Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret is accompanied in this photo by Dr. Terrence Heath, former Executive Director of the Western Development Museum.