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When the Queen visited Canada in 1957, she was the first
Sovereign to open a session of the Canadian Parliament, the 23rd.
After
this, the Queen and Prince Philip spent four days in Washington as guests
of the late President Eisenhower. The Queen took the opportunity to visit
New York where she addressed a special meeting of the United Nations
General Assembly.
A number of the Queen's visits abroad since accession to the
throne have been private, but most were state visits. On one occasion,
in 1961, following a state visit to Italy and an audience with the Pope
in the Vatican, the Queen and the Prince remained in Italy for a few
days for a private visit.
Important historic occasions have frequently been enhanced by
the presence of the Queen. She was in Canada in 1959 for the opening
of the St Lawrence Seaway, in Australia in 1963 for the celebration of
Canberra's 50th anniversary, and again in Canada in 1967 for the 100th
anniversary of the Confederation..
In 1970, the Queen and the Prince spent nine weeks, touring
Fiji, Tonga, Australia and New Zealand. The visit was planned to coin-
cide with the bicentenary celebrations of Captain Cook's first arrival
in the area.
The Queen, was in Australia again in 1973 for the opening of
the Sydney Opera House.
The Queen toured Australasia and Indonesia in 1974 to attend
the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand. On this occasion, she was
accompanied by the Duke, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, and Captain
Mark Philips.
This year's