Queen Elizabeth in Ottawa.

**Lallans** · 2nd July 10, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by piperdbh

So she didn't come to your house for BBQ, either. How did the tree planting go?

The tree planting was comparatively well covered. Her Majesty has now planted a total of I think 5 in the ceremonial area (the grounds of the Govenor General's Residence), and holds the record. The latest tree was quite a large one and already firmly in the ground, leading to (I'm sorry to say) some snarky media comments (they apparently expected HRM to operate the hole digger and then the front loader)- but the Queen showed herself to be a woman of strength and vigour by wielding a number of shovels-full of topsoil better than most of the sickly reporters present would even know how. I don't know how the little kid made out but hopefully he got something to eat.

**Beertigger** · 3rd July 10, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by ThistleDown

Canadians can actually get away with referring to her as Your Grace when talking with her in person; or Your Majesty, but never Your Highness. In an informal setting Ma'am (pronounced a bit like Muum) is acceptable, too.

No matter your nationality, Friend Elizabeth is always acceptable, as well.

**McClef** · 3rd July 10, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by ThistleDown

Canadians can actually get away with referring to her as Your Grace when talking with her in person; or Your Majesty, but never Your Highness. In an informal setting Ma'am (pronounced a bit like Muum) is acceptable, too.

It should be Ma'am as in ham not Ma'am as in harm. The convention is to use "Your Majesty" once in a conversation with the Queen and "Ma'am" thereafter.

I am surprised at the usage of "Your Grace" as this is the form of address for a Duke/Duchess or an Archbishop. The highest title always takes precedence so although the Queen is Duke of Lancaster and Duchess of Edinburgh, Majesty tops Grace just as the Duke of Edinburgh is Highness which tops Grace. It would be an archaic usage for a monarch in direct address in any case though indirectly "The Queen's Grace" or "Her Gracious Majesty" were used in past times.

Originally Posted by Beertigger

No matter your nationality, Friend Elizabeth is always acceptable, as well.

I appreciate your sentiments but I wouldn't call the President of the USA "Friend Barack" but "Mr President."

Such a familiar form of address is not acceptable in protocol for any head of state, royal or otherwise.

**Downunder Kilt** · 3rd July 10, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by McClef

It should be Ma'am as in ham not Ma'am as in harm. The convention is to use "Your Majesty" once in a conversation with the Queen and "Ma'am" thereafter.

Looks like different accents and pronunciation on different sides of the Atlantic, call for different ways to say Ma'am. In Australia it's done the way that ThistleDown suggests, without any emphasis on the A's

**Beertigger** · 3rd July 10, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by McClef

It should be Ma'am as in ham not Ma'am as in harm. The convention is to use "Your Majesty" once in a conversation with the Queen and "Ma'am" thereafter.

I am surprised at the usage of "Your Grace" as this is the form of address for a Duke/Duchess or an Archbishop. The highest title always takes precedence so although the Queen is Duke of Lancaster and Duchess of Edinburgh, Majesty tops Grace just as the Duke of Edinburgh is Highness which tops Grace. It would be an archaic usage for a monarch in direct address in any case though indirectly "The Queen's Grace" or "Her Gracious Majesty" were used in past times.

I appreciate your sentiments but I wouldn't call the President of the USA "Friend Barack" but "Mr President."

Such a familiar form of address is not acceptable in protocol for any head of state, royal or otherwise.

For a member of the Society of Friends, addressing someone by a title and not by their name isn't acceptable.

Coincidentally, I ran across this amusing anecdote a while back:

FWIW, I have it on good authority that HM the Queen gets as informal as is practical when out of the public eye. (A friend of mine was an officer on whatever ship it was she and HRH Prince Philip stayed on when they visited Canada in 1982. Philip showed up in the officer's wardroom (is that the right term?) and bought the officers a drink. She showed up a few minutes later, had a gin & tonic, told the men "Oh, please don't. Just call me Ma'am if you really must call me anything but Elizabeth," and then they toddled off to bed.)

**1mason** · 4th July 10, 03:25 PM

I live in Ottawa and I must say that Her Majesty's visit did not cause much disruption at all. She is well received in Ottawa and while I am not what you would call a monarchist, it is always nice when the Royals visit.

**Lallans** · 5th July 10, 02:05 PM

One last update: the Queen was in Toronto yesterday and her security perimeter was crashed by someone who came up and handed her a black bag. Fortunately nothing dangerous was in the bag and the crazed person wasn't typical in any case- she was a rather overweight oldish woman hobbling on a thick wooden stick. I've done some security stuff and I will critically state that the Queen's security in Canada is visibly tight but in practice very nearly worthless. I've seen things happen to the Queen here that wouldn't happen to a minor dignitary like the local Chief of Police. Raffy, the children's entertainer, is probably better protected from his toddler audience: God Save the Queen. He'd better.