With news that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, died Friday, April 9 at the age of 99, the City of Port Alberni shared an historical photo and story about the time Philip and then-Princess Elizabeth—now Queen Elizabeth II—visited the Alberni Valley.
The couple were newlyweds when they paraded through the city on Oct. 25, 1951. The prince himself drove the royal car during the impromptu visit that took them through the twin cities of Alberni and Port Alberni.
READ: A look at the more than 20 trips Prince Philip made to Canada
A second photo also included in the museum’s digital archives shows a closeup photo of Princess Elizabeth on the same trip to the Alberni Valley. The Queen ascended the throne on Feb. 6, 1952, after her father King George VI died. She was formally crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953.
The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, made 20 memorable trips to Canada in their lifetime together.
This photo is one of 24,000 in the Alberni Valley Museum’s online archives, available to view at https://portalberni.pastperfectonline.com.