A special moment with Prince Philip

I had the privilege of attending ballet classes at the Banff School of Fine Arts in 1959. Our senior class was in session when Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh visited as part of their Canadian tour. We began with our usual bar exercises and became aware of the royal couple watching us.

The Queen was wearing a colourful summer dress and stylish hat and she was so beautiful. She walked to the front of the class, each one of us curtsying as she passed, then she turned with a lovely smile to face us.

But where was the Duke? We noticed he had paused to chat with a member of our class then realized he was stopping to speak to each person.

It was an anxious few minutes before he paused in front of me. I curtsied, then looked up into the most piercing blue eyes I have ever seen. He smiled and asked: “Did I enjoy ballet dancing?” I managed to stammer out a reply that I enjoyed it very much.

During his long life, Prince Philip connected in this simple way with so many people. Like me, I believe they recall the event as a special moment. Thank you for your service and rest in peace. M.A. Macdonald, Edmonton