Prince Andrew's 2007 Visit to Cambridge
On May 6, 2007, Cambridge Now published a report headlined "Prince Andrew's Visit To Cambridge A Royal Delight", written by Thomas Hagey. The visit was connected to the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, a Primary Reserve infantry regiment with a company in Cambridge, Ontario. Prince Andrew, then Duke of York and now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was one of the regiment's Colonels-in-Chief.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original report | "Prince Andrew's Visit To Cambridge A Royal Delight", Cambridge Now!, May 6, 2007 |
| Author | Thomas Hagey |
| Regiment | The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada |
| Regiment's local presence | Companies in Cambridge and Kitchener |
| Role of the Prince | Colonel-in-Chief |
The regiment
The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada is a light infantry regiment of the Canadian Army Reserve. It belongs to 31 Canadian Brigade Group, headquartered in London, Ontario. Its lineage goes back to September 14, 1866, when the 29th Waterloo Battalion of Infantry was formed in Berlin, Ontario, the town now called Kitchener.
| Date | Name |
|---|---|
| 1866 | 29th Waterloo Battalion of Infantry |
| 1920 | The Highland Light Infantry of Canada |
| 1965 | Amalgamated with The Scots Fusiliers of Canada as The Highland Fusiliers of Canada |
| July 7, 1998 | Redesignated The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada |
Both Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, and Prince Andrew held the position of Colonel-in-Chief for the regiment as members of the Canadian royal family.
What a Colonel-in-Chief is
A colonel-in-chief is a ceremonial position in an army regiment, common in Commonwealth armies and usually held by a member of the royal family who acts as the regiment's patron. In Canada the appointments are made by the Crown-in-Council, meaning the monarch or governor general acting on the advice of Cabinet. The holder is an honorary appointee who acts as a patron. The appointments are meant as an honour for regiments and units and to reinforce loyalty to the Crown, and the holder is expected to guard regimental traditions and history. Cambridge Now's 2007 report is cited for this point in the Wikipedia article on the monarchy and the Canadian Armed Forces.
The visit
The original report describes the Prince's visit to Cambridge as a "royal delight". No other account of the visit has been verified for this page, so it gives no details of the programme.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the original report? Thomas Hagey, for Cambridge Now!, published May 6, 2007.
Why did Prince Andrew visit Cambridge? He was a Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, which has a company in Cambridge. The specific purpose of the 2007 visit is unverified.
What does a colonel-in-chief do? The role is ceremonial. The holder acts as the regiment's patron and a guardian of its traditions.
Where is the regiment based? It has companies in Cambridge and Kitchener, and belongs to 31 Canadian Brigade Group in London, Ontario.
Sources
Wikipedia articles on The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, Colonel-in-chief, and Monarchy of Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces; Department of National Defence, honorary appointments (canada.ca).