Princess Anne’s visit features cows, curtsies
EDMONTON Princess Anne mused about cattle and farm succession during a speech at an Edmonton agricultural conference Tuesday.
The British princess gave the opening address at the biannual conference of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RASC), of which she is president. She was also scheduled to designate a river valley walkway in honour of her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, later Tuesday.
It was the princess’s first visit to Edmonton.
“Alberta, as we’ve been hearing, does provide an extraordinary backdrop to this international discussion about food and farming,” she said during an address at the Expo Centre to officially open the 28th Commonwealth Agriculture Conference, which runs to Thursday.
Despite having a strong base in livestock and grain production, the princess said the Alberta agriculture sector is facing challenges seen around the world, including land access, environmental issues and succession planning as the farming population ages.
A pen full of cattle could be seen through the banquet hall’s floorto-ceiling windows as Princess Anne spoke.
Anne, who is Princess Royal, said the RASC was founded in 1957 to promote the exchange of ideas between farmers in Commonwealth nations. The Commonwealth now includes 53 countries comprising about one-third of the world’s population.
“Although agriculture as it is practised has changed significantly since 1957 and will continue to change, the common denominator that binds it all together — i.e. the safe production of food — remains absolutely the same,” she said.
With a Royal in attendance, the event was heavy on protocol. Media were advised to greet the princess as “Your Royal Highness” followed by “ma’am” should they pass her in a common area. Bows or curtsies were not required but were deemed acceptable, a protocol guide said, adding that photography for personal use was prohibited and “sly or requested self-photographs” would be frowned upon.
The princess is scheduled to unveil the Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway during a ceremony at Government House Tuesday evening.
The first such walkway opened in Banff last year, according to a news release. Lt. Gov. Lois E. Mitchell “championed” the Edmonton walkway “as a way to honour the long-standing service of Her Majesty the Queen and celebrate the shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law that unite Commonwealth nations,” the release said.
The walkway will be funded by private donors.