Ottawa Says a Sentimental Farwell to Queen

3,000 Line Route to Uplands

Ottawa Says a Sentimental Farwell to Queen

by Marjorie Nichols of The Ottawa Journal

Canadians said a sentimental farewell to a glittering Queen Wednesday night.

At 11:10 p.m. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip walked slowly up the ramp of a silver and blue BOAC jet at Uplands RCAF base.

LITTLE NOISE

The Cameron Highlanders struck up with the nostalgic "Will Ye No Come Back Again" and the crowd of about 1,000 gathered in the refurbished hanger at the airbase waved an almost silent salute.

The royal couple turned and waved before entering the plane the Queen's diamond tiara and bracelet and gold-bordered white evening dress sparkling in the spotlight.

The glittering dress with it floating pannier from her left shoulder, her gold slippers and bag and white mink stole, glimmered under the artificial lights.

Her Majesty's outfit -- the one she wore to dinner at Government House earlier that evening -- was the most stunning of her wardrobe chosen for the Canadian visit.

The Governor-General and Mrs. Michener and Prime Minister and Mrs. Pearson, also in formal dress, had escorted the royal couple down the red carpet to the base of the plane's ramp.

As the door closed behind the Queen and the ground crew prepared the big planes for takeoff, the prime minister and the Governor-General and their wives walked back to stand with the crowd and wave a final farewell.

The jet taxied away from the hangar and the Queen and the Prince, in the lighted front cabin of the plane, could be seen waving back.

At 11:20 p.m., six days and six hours after they had touched down at Uplands for the start of the Canadian visit, they were airborne, en route to London on a non-stop flight.

Despite the late departure time, several thousand had turned out, once again, to line the royal motorcade route from Government house to Uplands.

The limousine carrying the Queen and her husband skimmed past the crowds at about 20 mph.

But the interior light of the car was on and those had waited patiently in the dark to catch a glimpse of royalty, weren't disappointed.

At the gates of Government House, around Confederation Square and along Hogs Back Road, nearly 3,000 had stood silently, waving as the motorcade whipped by.

Unlike the exuberant crowds that had whooped it up and cheered the royal couple at every appearance from Parliament Hill and Lansdowne Park to Expo in Montreal, Wednesday night's crowds had apparently come for a quick last look.

Five minutes after the motorcade passed through the downtown area the streets were almost vacant -- the capital area was back to normal after six days of frenzied centennial celebrations and royalty-watching.