The Royal Visit to Canada and the United States

Year Published: 1939

Creator: Castle Films

Description:

Edited and released by Eugene Castle and Castle Films and distributed by Bell & Howell, "The Royal Visit to Canada and the United States" is an epic silent documentary movie that presents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's trip to North America in 1939. This tour was undertaken in the build-up of world political tensions to WWII (1939-1945), as a way to shore up sympathy for the United Kingdom among her dominions and allies, should war break out in Europe. The tour lasted a month, from 17 May to 15 June, covering every province in Canada, along with the then-separate Dominion of Newfoundland, and a few days south (7–12 June) in the United States. It demonstrated and cemented Canada's allegiance to the Crown and its status as the senior Dominion of the then British Empire (future Commonwealth of Nations). There had been previous royal family tours in Canada, but, the 1939 tour was unprecedented due to the fact that it was the first visit to North America by the reigning monarch. The tour was an enormous event, attracting huge crowds.

Highlights include:

00:31: The Royal Family is seen at Buckingham Palace prior to the trip.
01:18: The Royal Tour begins as the family rides across London in their carriage, riding past Big Ben and Parliament building
02:18: They board the RMS Princess of Australia, designated the Royal Yacht for the trans-Atlantic trip
02:48: Arrival at Quebec on 17 May 1939
03:27: Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, and the Minister of Justice Ernest Lapointe greet the family.
04:22: the Provincial Parliament Building where various ceremonies take place.
05:10: The Royals arrive in Montreal
06:17: The Royals in Ottawa
06:24: King George VI reviews the Highland Guard of Honor
06:48: A view of the Canadian Parliament Building
07:25: Trooping of the Colors
07:36: Lord Tweedsmuir and Queen Elizabeth observe the spectacle
08:16: The Queen lays the cornerstone of the new Supreme Court Building
09:08: The King dedicates the massive new War Memorial
09:51: Toronto, the Royals attend the horse races
11:07: Winnipeg
11:53: Royal Canadian Mounted Police salute the King and Queen at Regina
12:39: Native American emissaries greet the Royals
13:23: Trip to Banff and Lake Louise
14:00: The Royals at Vancouver, in front of the massive Canadian National railway station
14:44: The Royals visit Victoria, British Columbia via HMCS St. Laurent (formerly HMS Cygnet) a C-class destroyer
15:05: Canada's Pacific naval forces on display for the royals at Beacon Hill Park along the shore of Juan de Fuca Strait in Victoria, B.C.
15:23: Visit to Edmonton
16:20: The Royals visit the United States for the first time, they are greeted by Vice President John Nance Garner.
17:44: The Royals visit Washington, D.C.
18:42: the King is seen with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a presidential limousine
19:15: Secret Service agents run next to the open car containing the President and King as they drive to the White House
19:33: First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt is visible in a touring car with Queen Elizabeth at her side.
19:45: Aerial view of White House
20:12: British Ambassador to the USA Sir Ronald Lindsay and his wife Lady Lindsay
20:37: Famed businessman and industrialist James Pierpont Morgan or JP Morgan
21:09: reception for the Royals in the Congress building
21:30: The Royals visit Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home in Virginia
22:10: A visit to Arlington Cemetery
22:36: The Royals visit a CCC camp at Fort Hunt to talk to cadets. (This was a model facility that operated into the 1940s. Enrollees built barracks, mess halls, and other buildings, and performed landscaping and maintenance at National Parks.)
23:12: The Royals arrive in New York harbor aboard a warship
23:28: The Royals are greeted by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia and Gov. of New York Herbert Henry Lehman and take a motor tour of the city.
25:12: The royals visit Columbia University.
26:15: President of Columbia University, and President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Nicholas Murray Butler greets the visitors
26:42: visit to Hyde Park
27:11: Attending St. James Church
28:06 President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife chat with the King and Queen
28:39: Return to Canada via St. John's New Brunswick
29:27: End of the tour at Halifax, Nova Scotia after 10,000 miles of travel
30:46: return to London, England aboard the liner RMS Empress of Britain

Complete Record: Edited and released by Eugene Castle and Castle Films and distributed by Bell & Howell, "The Royal Visit to Canada and the United States" is an epic silent documentary movie that presents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's trip to North America in 1939. This tour was undertaken in the build-up of world political tensions to WWII (1939-1945), as a way to shore up sympathy for the United Kingdom among her dominions and allies, should war break out in Europe. The tour lasted a month, from 17 May to 15 June, covering every province in Canada, along with the then-separate Dominion of Newfoundland, and a few days south (7–12 June) in the United States. It demonstrated and cemented Canada's allegiance to the Crown and its status as the senior Dominion of the then British Empire (future Commonwealth of Nations). There had been previous royal family tours in Canada, but, the 1939 tour was unprecedented due to the fact that it was the first visit to North America by the reigning monarch. The tour was an enormous event, attracting huge crowds. Highlights include: 00:31: The Royal Family is seen at Buckingham Palace prior to the trip. 01:18: The Royal Tour begins as the family rides across London in their carriage, riding past Big Ben and Parliament building 02:18: They board the RMS Princess of Australia, designated the Royal Yacht for the trans-Atlantic trip 02:48: Arrival at Quebec on 17 May 1939 03:27: Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, and the Minister of Justice Ernest Lapointe greet the family. 04:22: the Provincial Parliament Building where various ceremonies take place. 05:10: The Royals arrive in Montreal 06:17: The Royals in Ottawa 06:24: King George VI reviews the Highland Guard of Honor 06:48: A view of the Canadian Parliament Building 07:25: Trooping of the Colors 07:36: Lord Tweedsmuir and Queen Elizabeth observe the spectacle 08:16: The Queen lays the cornerstone of the new Supreme Court Building 09:08: The King dedicates the massive new War Memorial 09:51: Toronto, the Royals attend the horse races 11:07: Winnipeg 11:53: Royal Canadian Mounted Police salute the King and Queen at Regina 12:39: Native American emissaries greet the Royals 13:23: Trip to Banff and Lake Louise 14:00: The Royals at Vancouver, in front of the massive Canadian National railway station 14:44: The Royals visit Victoria, British Columbia via HMCS St. Laurent (formerly HMS Cygnet) a C-class destroyer 15:05: Canada's Pacific naval forces on display for the royals at Beacon Hill Park along the shore of Juan de Fuca Strait in Victoria, B.C. 15:23: Visit to Edmonton 16:20: The Royals visit the United States for the first time, they are greeted by Vice President John Nance Garner. 17:44: The Royals visit Washington, D.C. 18:42: the King is seen with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a presidential limousine 19:15: Secret Service agents run next to the open car containing the President and King as they drive to the White House 19:33: First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt is visible in a touring car with Queen Elizabeth at her side. 19:45: Aerial view of White House 20:12: British Ambassador to the USA Sir Ronald Lindsay and his wife Lady Lindsay 20:37: Famed businessman and industrialist James Pierpont Morgan or JP Morgan 21:09: reception for the Royals in the Congress building 21:30: The Royals visit Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home in Virginia 22:10: A visit to Arlington Cemetery 22:36: The Royals visit a CCC camp at Fort Hunt to talk to cadets. (This was a model facility that operated into the 1940s. Enrollees built barracks, mess halls, and other buildings, and performed landscaping and maintenance at National Parks.) 23:12: The Royals arrive in New York harbor aboard a warship 23:28: The Royals are greeted by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia and Gov. of New York Herbert Henry Lehman and take a motor tour of the city. 25:12: The royals visit Columbia University. 26:15: President of Columbia University, and President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Nicholas Murray Butler greets the visitors 26:42: visit to Hyde Park 27:11: Attending St. James Church 28:06 President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife chat with the King and Queen 28:39: Return to Canada via St. John's New Brunswick 29:27: End of the tour at Halifax, Nova Scotia after 10,000 miles of travel 30:46: return to London, England aboard the liner RMS Empress of Britain