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Welcome to the Canadian Royal Heritage Trust. The Trust is a national educational charity, funded by donations, dedicated to preserving, presenting and enhancing the royal heritage of Canada. The Trust is the country’s leading organisation working to expand Canadians’ knowledge of the Crown, and is available to assist students, academics, the media and the general public.

Our Mission: Inspired by the declaration of the Fathers of Confederation that the Monarchy is “the essential element” of the Canadian Constitution, the Canadian Royal Heritage Trust was established in 1994 to make Canadians aware of their rich democratic heritage as a constitutional monarchy and to broaden their knowledge of the role of the Crown in Canadian society.

You will find on this website information about the activities of the Trust, and information about Canada’s royal heritage.

The Trust functions in several areas and carries out many of its tasks through its Operations wing, the Canadian Royal Heritage Institute. After reading the following brief outlines, explore its work in more detail by clicking on the underlined sub-headings or on the tabs above.

MONARCHY: Discovering Canada’s Monarchy is the combined information service of the Institute’s several divisions and provides facts on the history, heritage, operation and philosophy of the Canadian Crown. It is an invaluable resource for students and adults alike. Our staff will frequently be adding new information to this section, so visit it regularly to learn more about the Canadian Monarchy.

MUSEUM & GALLERIES: The Canadian Royal Heritage Museum (Diefenbaker Birthplace) is located at Neustadt, in Midwestern Ontario, in the house where John Diefenbaker, Prime Minister of Canada 1957-1963, was born. The only public museum about the Crown in Canada, it presents historical artefacts, pictures and commemorative items in permanent displays and changing exhibits, and is the site of special activities and events. The Institute’s museum division also maintains permanent and temporary Canadian Royal Heritage Galleries and Displays in various locations across Canada.

ARCHIVES & LIBRARY: The Institute maintains two resource facilities. The King Louis XIV Canadian Royal Heritage Archives comprise a unique collection of newspaper clippings; scrapbooks; photographs, prints and posters; historical artefacts; films, videos and slides; and exhibits. It is located at the Fealty Heritage Centre in Toronto. The King George III Canadian Royal Heritage Library is a unique reference facility in Canada. It includes books and publications across many disciplines, on the Canadian Crown and international monarchies. Branches are located at the Fealty Heritage Centre in Toronto and three other locations in Ontario – Belleville, Neustadt and St Thomas. On The Library Shelf is a series of essays using material from the King George III Canadian Royal Heritage Library to expound royal topics of interest, so indicating to readers the richness of the collection. Canadian Books On The Crown lists a selection of books written by Canadians.

EDUCATION & HISTORY: The Canadian Royal Heritage Institute’s Education division awards The Eugene Forsey Prize for essays on the Canadian Crown by high school, college or university students. It also provides educational information and assistance to students. The Institute’s History, Research & Publications division compiles information on royal heritage sites and artefacts in Canada, and conducts research into the history of the Canadian Crown, answers enquiries and prepares publications. The Institute also organises and participates in a variety of Community Presentations on the Crown, in addition to regular lectures, and works with like-minded associations in the heritage field. Shakespeare On The Platform is a competition for high school students conducted by the Toronto-Hamilton Branch of the English Speaking Union, an affiliate of the Trust.

NEWS & COMMENTARY / RECENT POSTS: Check these tabs for royal news and commentary by the CRHT’s team of reporters, commentators and analysts, for Trust news, and to view Canadian Royal Heritage, the newsletter of the Trust, which is sent to Friends (donors) by email or in printed form, and is available to the public on this website.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Check this tab for the times, venues and details of the many activities held, or participated in, by the Canadian Royal Heritage Trust, its Institute or the several branches of the Institute throughout Canada. The first four upcoming events appear in the section on the right side of this page. For events further into the future click on “View Calendar” and check listings by month and day.

THE TRUST: The Trust relies on donations to fund its programmes. Donors are designated as Friends of the CRHT, and receive a charitable receipt for tax purposes. Donations may be in funds or gifts-in-kind. The Operations wing of the CRHT is known as the Canadian Royal Heritage Institute.  In some communities branches of the Institute have been established to support and expand the work of the Trust. Check this section  for the Trust’s and Institute’s Directories and for information on how to support the Trust. The Canadian Royal Heritage Award is given annually by the Trust to recognise individuals or corporate bodies that have made an outstanding contribution towards preserving, presenting or enhancing Canada’s royal heritage.  Awards are presented at the annual Canadian Royal Heritage Awards Dinner or at specially arranged events.  The Trust also organises periodic Concerts and special events. In January, 2013 the English Speaking Union, Toronto-Hamilton Branch became an affiliate of the CRHT.

LINKS: Links to websites around the world that provide additional information about the Canadian, Commonwealth and foreign monarchies.