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Home · Society · The Monarchy · A royal Stampede

A royal Stampede

Broadcast Date: July 9, 1959

Queen Elizabeth enjoys many local celebrations as she crosses Canada in her 1959 royal visit, but few are more distinctive than the Calgary Stampede. With Prince Philip beside her, wearing a customary white cowboy hat, the Royal Couple take in the first chuckwagon races of the stampede. But their first race is delayed by an accident when horses rear up and topple as the royal guests look on.

A royal Stampede

• 1959 was an important year for the Royal Family in Canada. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip embarked on a 45-day tour of Canada, stopping in every province and territory.
• In Calgary, instead of the usual red carpet that greets the Queen, Elizabeth was greeted with a carpet of buffalo skins.
• More than 100,000 visitors attended the Stampede in hopes of seeing Queen Elizabeth. As the royal motorcade approached the grandstand, the crowd sang Home on the Range.

• The Calgary Stampede was first held in 1912, and is known as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth."
• CBC hired Joy Davies, a fashion consultant, to brief their commentators and advise them on what Her Majesty would be wearing each day of her 1959 tour.

A royal Stampede

Medium: Television

Program: CBC Television News Special

Broadcast Date: July 9, 1959


Host: Bruce Marsh
Reporter: Ted Reynolds

Duration: 3:07

Last updated:
April 4, 2008


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