Queen Elizabeth smiles as she greets guests before a state dinner in Toronto on July 5. (Mike Cassese/Reuters)

Tour included stops in Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg and Waterloo, Ont.

The 22nd official royal visit to Canada by Queen Elizabeth began June 28 and ended July 6. The Queen and Prince Philip visited five Canadian cities over nine days.

The Queen got a rainy but warm welcome as she arrived in Halifax on June 28. (See photos.)

She received a round of applause as she addressed a rain-soaked crowd near the Halifax Citadel. "I'm delighted to be back amongst you all," the Queen said. "My pride in this country remains undimmed. Thanks very much for your welcome. It is good to be home."

The Queen and Prince Philip then visited the nearby Halifax Common, to take part in a Mi'kmaq cultural event and mark the 400th anniversary of the baptism of Grand Chief Henri Membertou. The royal couple wrapped up their first day of official duties by rededicating Government House, the official residence of the lieutenant-governor in Halifax.

On June 29, the Queen inspected dozens of Canadian and foreign warships anchored in Halifax harbour, as part of the celebration marking the navy's 100th anniversary. On board HMCS St. John's, she led the International Fleet Review, which included ships from eight countries. (More photos.)

Later in the day, she presented a plaque commemorating HMCS Sackville, a Second World War corvette that escorted convoys and attacked submarines and is now a museum. She also saw flypasses by Canada's famous Snowbirds, as well as an international aerial contingent.

The royal couple arrived in Ottawa June 30 for a three-day visit, including Canada Day. It was the seventh time Queen Elizabeth has been in Canada for the big national celebration.

The Canadian Museum of Nature was closed to the public during the Queen's first event on June 30. She unveiled a plaque dedicating The Queen's Lantern, a large glass addition to the museum replacing its original tower.

Her first Ottawa afternoon included the unveiling of a life-sized statue of the late jazz great Oscar Peterson created by Canadian sculptor Ruth Abernathy outside the National Arts Centre, a tree planting at Rideau Hall and a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

On July 1, the Queen praised Canada as 100,000 people gathered on Parliament Hill to celebrate Canada's 143rd birthday.

"This nation has dedicated itself to being a caring home for its own, a sanctuary for others and an example to the world," she said.

The next morning — a quiet day on the royal couple's hectic schedule — the Queen met privately with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff at Rideau Hall.

After the brief session, Ignatieff declared to reporters, "she's an absolute joy to meet."

West to Winnipeg

The royal couple became the first official passengers at Winnipeg's new airport terminal when they arrived on the morning of July 3.

The Queen dedicated the cornerstone of the new Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The stone came from the fields of Runnymede — near Windsor Castle — where the original Magna Carta was signed in 1215.

She also rededicated a statue of herself crafted by the late sculptor Leo Mol.

Dharby Harrison, 8, travelled from London, Ont., to see the Queen outside Toronto's St. James Cathedral.

Dharby Harrison, 8, travelled from London, Ont., to see the Queen outside Toronto's St. James Cathedral. (Dave Seglins/CBC)

The royal couple arrived in Toronto late that evening.

The next morning, July 4, the Queen and Prince Philip attended a service at Toronto's St. James Cathedral as about 1,500 royal watchers gathered outside in the sweltering heat and humidity.

The royal couple then watched Big Red Mike win the 151st running of the Queen's Plate in the afternoon. The Queen, an avid owner and breeder of horses, presented the trophy to the winning jockey, Eurico Rosa da Silva.

It was her fourth trip to see North America's oldest continuously run stakes race, after visits in 1959, 1973 and 1997.

BlackBerrys and the state dinner

The morning of July 5 began with a quick trip to Waterloo to tour BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion's facility. The Queen and Prince Philip were greeted at the RIM campus at around 11 a.m. by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, RIM president Mike Lazaridis and scores of cheering admirers.

The royal couple flew back to Toronto to tour Pinewood Studios, billed as Canada's largest film and television complex.

The two donned 3D glasses to watch a film directed by acclaimed Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta and then viewed the Queen's coronation ceremony from 57 years ago.

Prince Philip later made presentations of the Duke of Edinburgh award, which recognizes community service and personal growth among youth aged 14 to 25.

Even a big-time power outage in downtown Toronto — which started during the 4:30 p.m. award presentation — couldn't hamper the final event of the day. The Royal York hotel operated on backup power for the state dinner hosted for the Queen and Prince Philip by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

A royal goodbye

Several thousand people gathered at the Ontario legislature the next morning, July 6, to bid farewell. The royal couple attended a series of events that culminated in an official departure ceremony — complete with a 21-gun salute on the legislature's front lawn.

The Queen unveiled a plaque commemorating the 150th anniversary of the dedication of the legislature, Queen's Park, by her great-grandfather, before he was crowned King Edward VII.

The royal couple departed Toronto for New York shortly afterwards. Queen Elizabeth addressed the United Nations general assembly later that afternoon. It was her first speech at the UN since 1957, when she was 31.

During her reign, the Queen has now spent 222 days in Canada on royal visits as the country's sovereign. She made her first trip to Canada in 1951, when she was still a princess.Read more:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/25/f-queen-elizabeth-royal-visit.html#ixzz0sygaAA99