Niagara-on-the-Lake teaching winery invites public to relive Prince Charles 2009 visit for coronation
Published May 3, 2023 at 2:15 pm
There are a small handful of celebrations happening on May 6 to honour the coronation of King Charles III but the Niagara College Teaching Winery at the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus will have their doors open for Royal lovers to relive the day he made a spur-of-the-moment visit to the facility.
During a 11-day tour of Canada with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles stopped into the Teaching Winery on a snowy, blustery day in November 2009.
Niagara College, just 10 years old at the time, didn’t actually request the royal visit. Organizers for the tour put it on the Prince’s agenda, knowing his interest in environment and rural affairs.
At the time, the school only had the Teaching Winery set up – the Teaching Brewery and the Teaching Distillery wouldn’t come for several years afterwards.
According to those who were there at the time, the Prince of Wales tasted three Niagara College Teaching Winery wines, including the 2008 Cabernet Franc Icewine, 2008 Meritage and 2007 Dean’s List Chardonnay.
His visit drew a large crowd, many of whom waited outdoors on a nasty day, just to get a glimpse of the future king though perhaps not knowing his coronation wouldn’t come for another 24 years.
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Naturally, the school’s Wine Visitor + Education Centre (135 Taylor Rd.) is welcoming all to stop in for a visit from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to raise a glass in honour of his coronation.
For those looking for something a more formal and sit-down affair, the Prince of Wales Hotel (Charles’ official title until Saturday) will be holding a special five-course meal, the King’s Coronation Dinner on May 6 at 7 p.m. The event will include a reception as well as a limited, exclusive Scotch paired with the dinner. The cost is $200 and Royal lovers can book their spot by calling 1-888-669-5566, ext. 436520.
As well, there will be three separate Royal Tea celebrations, scattered through the region.
The Savoy Room (375 St Paul St.) in downtown St. Catharines will have special coronation tea services on May 6 and May 7 while the Thorold Garden Club and Thorold Senior Centre (8 Carleton St. South) have joined forces to offer a May 6 coronation tea at the senior centre.
The Niagara Falls History Museum (5810 Ferry St.) is also hosting two separate Royal Tea Receptions – one at 11 a.m., the second at 3 p.m. this Saturday.
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