Regina royal watchers come out to meet the Earl and Countess of Wessex

The Earl and Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Rhys-Jones, continued their royal visit to Regina on Thursday with events steeped in history and tradition.

This is Prince Edward’s sixth visit to the province and the first for Sophie.

The prince began the day with a tour of the RCMP training grounds, while the countess attended a women in leadership breakfast at the RCMP Heritage Centre.

Then it was off to government house to hand out honours like the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award for youth community leaders and 25-year volunteer certificates.

READ MORE: Eleven youths from across Sask. honoured by Royals with Duke of Edinburgh Award

The Royal couple also took part in a 125th Anniversary Celebration for Government House and assisted Lieutenant Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield in awarding the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.

The award goes out to “exceptional volunteers in a wide range of fields”, and on Thursday, six long-time Government House Volunteers received the award.

The winners were Sheila Carson, Elaine Giroux-Sylvestre, Karen Jackson, Charles Knight, Iris Sirke, and Isabelle Zohner.

“This beautiful historic property is a vibrant gathering place for the community and visitors from around the globe thanks, in no small part, to the work of these deserving honourees,” Solomon Schofield said.

Prince Edward and Sophie also enjoyed some prairie entertainment with a play centered around the birth of Saskatchewan as a province and music from Saskatoon-based band Rosie and the Riveters.

After all the ceremonies were complete, the earl and countess went out and met hundreds of Royal watchers waiting outside government house.

“It’s a wonderful experience just to meet somebody as graceful as the Royal family,” Neil Webster said.

Webster has a special connection to the Royal family. The last time Queen Elizabeth was in Regina, Webster was still in the military and carried her standard for the proceedings.

Since then he has been into attending Royal visits, just like Brenda Suknasky.

“The first year I was here in Regina, I saw the Queen when she was here, and I was very excited and I was very excited ever since that time,” Suknasky said.

“Whenever I have the opportunity I try to see them,” she said.

Suknasky is a jeweler with Fifth Avenue Collection in Moose Jaw, Sask. She presented the countess with a bracelet from the collection called “Life’s a Ball”.

Doxilly is from St. Lucia and said she hit it off with Sophie as the Royals recently visited the Caribbean island.

“I think it was just a really, really great experience. I got a little pin here, and I’m going to wear it and it’s just amazing,” Doxilly said.

Once the greetings were complete, Sophie was off to the airport to fly to the next step of their tour in Edmonton. Prince Edward spent an additional night in Regina, as he got an authentic Saskatchewan experience with a country barbecue.