Ian Leslie Macdonald

The Canadian High Commissioner to London, Janice Charette.

Lovely to visit my portrait of Her Majesty at Canada House

In the portrait by Canadian photographer Ian Leslie Macdonald, Her Majesty is pictured wearing the Canadian maple leaf brooch she inherited from her mother in 2002. The brooch, which is made of platinum and set with diamonds, was given to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother by her husband, King George VI, and was worn for the first time during the Royal couple’s visit to Canada in 1939. Over the years, the brooch was loaned to Princess Elizabeth (1951), The Duchess of Cornwall (2009) and The Duchess of Cambridge (2011) during their first visits to Canada. 

“Her Majesty has served Canada with steadfast devotion and remarkable skill for 65 years,” the Governor-General said. “The release of this photographic portrait of The Queen wearing the maple leaf brooch is a fitting image of her love for this country and its people on the 150th anniversary of Confederation.”

My thanks to the Canadian High Commission in London at Canada House, for sending these photos of Her Majesty's visit in July. My portrait of Her Majesty wearing the Maple Leaf brooch looks delightful, and Her Majesty wore the brooch for the visit as well.

©2017 The Government of Canada - Canada House London

Her Majesty The Queen, Colonel-in-Chief of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada, (Princess Louise's), wearing Her Regimental brooch. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Her Majesty last visited the Regiment in 2002 on Her Golden Jubilee, where She presented New Colours to the Regiment.

I posed Her Majesty with the Regiments tartan. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders wear Government No.1a, which is very similar to The Black Watch tartan and is currently used by several military units throughout the Commonwealth.

A large 3’x3’ portrait greets visitors to the WO & Sgts Mess at CFB Shilo. Thanks to Jules Xavier for the photographs.

At the Regimental HQ, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, CFB Shilo.

Base HQ conference room, CFB Shilo.

In this portrait, I posed Her Majesty with the two Regimental tartans of the 48th Highlanders of Canada. In addition to the Davidson tartan, I draped the Stewart of Fingask tartan, which is the tartan worn by the Pipes and Drums. The 48th Highlanders of Canada Pipes and Drums have made numerous recordings going back to the 1960's and have played all over the world.

http://regimentalpipers.com/48pd/history/Bandhist.html

Test photo for lighting levels, and warming the seat for Her Majesty.

Her Majesty's New Years message celebrating Canada's 150th

Her Majesty wears Her Regimental brooch presented to Her in 1951 on Her first visit to Canada. Photograph taken at Fort York National Historic Site. Autumn of 1984. 

A letter of thanks for the photograph I took of the Regiment and family outside the regimental church to mark Her Majesty's 90th birthday.

The personal standard of HM The Queen at Buckingham Palace the night before my audience where I presented the finished portraits taken in March to The Queen in a private audience with Her.

I am thrilled to announce that one of my portraits has been published in this revised edition.

Remembrance Day 2023

The Diamond Jubilee stained glass window outside the chambers of The Senate of Canada.

God has left the building

A ship full of cement mix heads out on the Great Lakes.

Climb the golden stairs

Toy soldiers from the collection of the Hon. Hal Jackman, OC., OOnt.,CD

Ooops I may have ordered a pepperoni pizza! 

Effigy of H.M. The Queen on Canada's new Polar Medal

Friends, Romans, Countrymen....lend me your heads!

Canada's world famous Snowbirds with a 2017 'Canada 150' decorated CF-188 Hornet fighter jet

A CC-130J Hercules from 8 Wing Trenton about to refuel two CF-188 Hornets

The RCAF's first band mace

The Current Drum Major's RCAF Mace 

Practicing before trooping the new Colours with horse blankets

A young Captain

The arrival of His Excellency, The Governor General of Canada and Mrs Johnston

The Governor General taking the Vice Regal Salute

Her Majesty The Queen's Colours are uncased alongside the new RCAF Colours for the first time

The RCAF's new Colours are placed on the drum alter for a blessing by 3 military clergies of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths

Her Majesty The Queen's Colours and the new RCAF colours are paraded before all assembled troops for the first time

The Colour Officer holding the new Colours of the Royal Canadian Air Force. They feature maple leafs at each corner facing outward

Honourary Lieutenant General Richard Rohmer.  While active in World War II, while flying, he noticed a fast-moving car and reported it. It turned out to be the hunted and dreaded 'Desert Fox' Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Rohmer reported the car's location to Group Control Centre, which sent in a Spitfire piloted by Canadian Charley Fox. Rohmer took part in D-Day and the Battles of Normandy, Belgium and Holland. He is the Senior Canadian Veteran of all of those Battles.

The view above Snowbirds with Canada 150 CF-188 Hornet. Photo by RCAF

A Royal Marine competes in the rowing championships

And he wins silver!

HRH Prince Harry points and smiles at an athlete from Team Australia

Team Denmark's 'Invictus Thor' who later traded the Team Australia jersey with TSgt Caswell's Team USA jersey.

Only after each athlete received their special commemorative medal from Prince Harry or former US Vice President Joe Biden and paraded to their seats did the emotion of the past week start to really set in for some competitors.

The Boss, Bruce Springsteen

The Prime Minister of Canada's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau paid an amazing tribute to all the competitors and their families.

HRH Prince Harry at the True Patriot Love Foundation symposium on wounded soldiers.

Team UK cycling coach Andy Pink

This former US Marine competed an hour after this photo and was surprised when President Obama and Prince Harry walked in to watch him compete!

Mom and son sharing a laugh...I don't remember what I said, but it's nice to have fans!

An interfaith service was held to give support to all Invictus Games competitors and familes.

Sgt. Tetrault-Hamel holds the Canadian Armed Forces First Nations staff with sacred eagle feathers.

His Royal Highness, Prince Henry (Harry) opens the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto.

An Australian athlete arrives in Toronto ready to give the games his all.

A member of Team Canada with his support dog.

An athlete from Jordan ready to have his life changed by the great experience of the games.

A great athlete from Australia just after a live TV interview with his homeland.

Some great athletes from New Zealand.

An athlete from Jordan who was excited to get playing.

Michael Burns the CEO of the Toronto Games, a great visionary we're lucky to have in Canada!

Prince Harry gives a ceremonial hockey puck given to him to a school boy who was loudly cheering on the game.

Memorial windows, St Andrews Church, Toronto

Fred with one of our last remaining World War II veterans, 100-year-old MWO George MacLean. Fred was a 48th Army Cadet, but his American dad moved the family to the USA where Fred joined the USMC in 1960 serving in Vietnam.

Practice makes perfect!

The Colours Officer waiting for the Remembrance Day orders to come to attention and parade the Colours.

The 48th Highlanders of Canada Memorial at Queen's Park after the dedication of the Afghanistan battle honour. We had lots of discussion about the sunburst but in the end, we decided it shows warmth and hope as winter approaches.

Boer War uniform as worn at the Remembrance Day service at Old City Hall, Toronto

Presentation of a print to Lt. Col. Best and Hon. Col. Newman to celebrate Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

The photograph is of Her Majesty wearing Her 48th Highlanders of Canada Regimental brooch at Fort York National Historic Site in 1984. A pretty good photo for a grade 11 student just learning how to use a camera!

At the Saint Andrew's Ball, Royal York Hotel.

Three pipers of the 48th. A corporal, a 95-year-old veteran piper and the Pipe Major at the annual Remembrance Day dinner.

Honourary Colonel Geordie Elms and his wife Shirley.

My dad's Glengarry with my grandfather's cap badge just after a memorial dedication at Hill 70, France. Blue flowers of Remembrance and a poppy given to me by the local mayor.

Drummers ready to play in the guests at the Saint Andrew's Ball dinner.

One of our last living WWII veterans, Herb Pike.

The Lt. Col and Hon. Col. with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Taking the official Regimental photograph of the 48th Highlanders and St Andrew's Church congregation to celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen, April 2016

Lt. Col. Alkema is pinned his new rank on taking command of The 48th Highlanders by his wife, Capt. Darling and the 32 Brigade Commander.

Commander of the Canadian Army, Lt. General Wynnk visited as the 48th Highlanders played host to Air, Army and Sea Cadet corps from around Ontario for the Captain George W. Elms Tartan shoot. 

The General fielding questions from young cadets.

Honourary Colonel Scott, Colonel Elms and Lt. General Wynnk

With the Elms trophy.

I so wanted to get a photo looking through the scope, but when they're competing you can't really ask them to make your photo work the way you'd like!

Presentation of my official portrait of Her Majesty the Queen wearing Her 48th Highlanders brooch to the outgoing Honourary Colonel Elms here with the incoming Honourary Colonel Scott. Colonel Elms decades of service to Canada have inspired countless men and women around the world wherever he has served. Like many in the 48TH he is the third generation of Elms to serve.

95 year old WWII veteran Herb Pike with Colonel Beal. Herb helped liberate Holland and is a favourite Canadian of the Dutch Royal Family. Colonel Beal's book on the 48TH is the greatest history of the Regiment.

HRH Princess Margriet of the Netherlands is greeted by Honourary Colonel Elms to St Andrews Church, Toronto.

Princess Margriet of the Netherlands (Margriet Francisca; born 19 January 1943) is the third daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. HRH was born in Ottawa in a hospital room made property Holland for the birth. Princess Margriet is the sister of the beloved Queen Beatrix and an aunt of the reigning monarch, King Willem-Alexander, she is a member of the Dutch Royal House of Orange and currently eighth and last in the line of succession to the Dutch throne.

Princess Margriet has often represented the monarch at official or semi-official events. Some of these functions have taken her back to Canada, the country where she was born de facto, and to events organised by the Dutch merchant navy of which she is a patron.

Second World War Veterans who helped liberate Holland await the arrival of HRH

Veterans and Officers await the arrival of HRH Princess Margriet of the Netherlands.

Hon. Col. Elms explains the Regimental Colours on display to HRH 

Princess Margriet of the Netherlands shares a laugh with the Dutch Ambassador and Col. Beal (Ret) 

HRH Princess Margriet of the Netherlands signs the 48th Highlanders Museum visitor book as her husband learns about the Vimy Cross, currently on loan to the Vimy Ridge Canadian Visitors and Education Centre in France.

Princess Margriet of the Netherlands examines the medals and mementoes of Col. Marshall commander of the 48th Highlanders who was killed in Holland. A hero to the 48th to this day. HRH saw these on her way into the 48th Museum and stopped to look at them in closer detail as she was leaving.

 For information on the museum click here: http://www.48highlanders.com/04_03.html

My dear friend Danny Nicoletta with Madora Payne. Danny worked in Harvey Milk's Castro Camera shop and took most of the iconic photographs of Harvey. Here they pay homage to his image of Madora with her mom where Harvey photobombed just as he was pushing the capture button. This was at Danny's 2013 exhibition which I helped him hang. Dannynicoletta.com

Danny Nicoletta flanked by fellow photographer Garaje Gooch, Charles E. Morris, Jason Edward Black and the late Frank M. Robinson, who helped write many of Harvey Milk's most iconic speeches. This was for the San Francisco book launch of: An Archive of Hope: Harvey Milk's Speeches and Writings Paperback – February 15, 2013

The late great Frank M. Robinson

A big smile from Frank M. Robinson

Cleve Jones with his pal, the late Gilbert Baker one of the creators of the Rainbow Flag.

Danny in front of some of his images at Harvey Milk Plaza, outside the Castro Muni Station.

Peter in front of Danny's iconic image of Harvey Milk, which was used in a 2014 US Postage stamp!

In May 1978, Harvey was asked to help promote the upcoming visit to San Francisco of the Barnum and Bailey Circus. He along with a few others were invited to dress as clowns and spend the day doing so. My dear friend Danny Nicoletta http://dannynicoletta.com/ spent the day with his friend and former boss taking photos around the city, including one of Harvey on a cable car greeting tourists. This is the hat Harvey wore, which along with the coat he wore that day are in my personal collection.

A cairn made of local bricks most made over 100 years ago.

Goodbye yellow brick road

The Canada 150th tulip created by Dutch tulip masters

Edinburgh

Sunset in Edinburgh

While on a photo shoot in bright sunlight we were met with this aggressive little bird who was chirping up a storm. She then started flying around us, I took a photo but as it was so bright I only realised when I got home that she was over her eggs! Little wonder she was trying to keep us away!

What do you mean you don't know where you parked the car!?

I give up!

There is nothing like a Canadian sunset

Sunset on Lake Ontario from Niagara-on-the-Lake

The Moon on New Years Eve

Sunset from our bedroom balcony. Love the sun this time of year.

Warm sunset on a bitterly cold winters night

We have lift off

Too many options at this buffet!

Jacob

Judy and Denis Shepard. Parents of Matthew Shepard. 

Denis and Judy Shepard with Rev. Dr Brent Hawkes

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes and husband John.

Christopher and Jacob

Time to head home, you have work in the morning!

After climbing Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh I almost got blown off with the gusty storm that was rolling in. Thanks Rob taking the photo. 

The best man or valet?

Antoine with Olympic Gold Medalist Marc Tewksbury

Former Honourary Colonel Mike Scott

The Governor General addresses those assembled to speak about the contributions of the RCAF since World War I

The Elizabeth Tower from within the Parliamentary precinct, near Westminster Hall.

This handsome chap is named Domhnall, the mascot of The Irish Guards. Here he's waiting before escorting the new guard to Buckingham Palace. 

This handsome chap is named Domhnall, the mascot of The Irish Guards. Here he is leading the band and troops to Buckingham Palace. 

Out the Escort! The solider heard his command to protect the Colours.

The horses were asking for more hay for dinner.

The iconic lions in Trafalgar Square have been standing guard at Nelson's Column for over a century. 

Listen to the Great Bell chime here https://youtu.be/LiKOhOzQyZg

My favourite gate at Buckingham Palace. Everytime I see it, I feel I'm seeing an old friend.

One of Sir Winston Churchill's cigars on display at the Churchill War Rooms Museum

The ceiling centre in the Parliamentary Library, Ottawa.

Storms approaching at the Lincoln Memorial. Thank goodness for taxis!

If you like statues, Washington is for you. Amazing ones of all sizes and commemorating various battles and events.

In the Library of Congress.

Decotrations on the sides of the stair cases. The Library of Congress.

Guard Change and inspection at The Tomb of the Unknown Sodiers. Arlington National Cemetery.

At Arlington National Cemetery. The graves of President and Mrs. Kennedy.

Sometimes being in the right place at the right time is everything. I heard a thump thump of choppers overhead, turned and saw the Marine One formation. Only when it was within 100 yards of The White House did the actual helicopter with President Obama makes it's final approach.

At the Congressional Cemetery in Washington.

Death camp clothing. The Holocaust Museum.

The American flag at Half Mast at the Washingon Monument. Although I couldn't find anyone who knew why!

The Jefferson Memorial

At the Jefferson Memorial.

The gun used to kill Lincoln at the Ford Theater.

The Vietnam Wall Memorial

Robert Kennedy's reading glasses on his desk.

Katherine Hepburn's four Oscars in the Smithsonian Museum

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, outside Clarence House. 4th August 1988. This portrait hangs in the Veterans Wing foyer of the Parkwood Hospital, London. 

This was slipped under my hotel room door the morning after being introduced to The Queen at a private reception She hosted in Quebec City in October 1987. The youngest in the room by about 30 years, my friend Her Assistant Private Secretary said I'd be someone he would introduce. We chatted for 10 minutes about a variety of topics.

I didn't take many photographs with Diana in them, but I did give Prince Harry some of him with her and The Queen Mother when he was in Toronto last year. This is Diana going back into the back garden at Clarence House after The Queen Mother's 91st Birthday. Look at her shadow next to Prince Charles'.

Packaging cards to celebrate The Queen's 90th Birthday, and the 125th Anniversary of the forming of The 48th Highlanders of Canada. Good thing I didn't have to sign them all!

Her Majesty's last visit to Canada. 2010

On catching Sir Noel Coward staring at a soldier, The Queen Mother told him "Noel, they count them when they put them away at night".

A real spitfire!

Photographed from the East block, the Peace Tower is one of the most iconic symbols of Canada.

The Maple Leaf Our Emblem Dear, The Maple Leaf Forever.

God save our Queen and heaven bless, The Maple Leaf Forever.

The Brooklyn Bridge. It's hard to get a photograph without people walking or cycling across it.

The glorious ceiling in the Thistle Chapel, St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh. It is in this chapel Her Majesty meets for the Order of the Thistle blessing.

The Queen’s Scottish Coat of Arms on her church pew.

Off with your head! Outside Parliament at Westminster

Sunset in Edinburgh

Sunset in Edinburgh

The glorious old girl with an old Soviet submarine docked beside her. I was curious to go into a submarine, but wasn't sure I'd like the cramped space. Good thing I didn't join the Royal Navy after all!

The signal flags cupboard in the wheelhouse.

I could have lighted and corrected this photograph, but I feel it conveys the rather lonely feeling you get sometimes on board. This was early in the morning, but a number of times while exploring the ship I saw no one.

Vimy Ridge National Historic Site, Vimy France.

Clock Tower, Old City Hall Toronto. 

The Missing Man formation above the Old City Hall clock tower, Toronto. Remembrance Day 2015

There was no coffee or snacks being servied that day!

I had The Police song Walking on the Moon running through my head.

St. Mary’s Advance Dressing Station Cemetery, Haisnes France.

My grandfather in Paris 1917