A Prince George resident has made royal history as the first woman to ever serve as part of the mounted unit charged with guarding the Queen and the royal family.
Const. Jennifer McRae, born and raised in B.C.'s northern capital, has been a member of the world famous RCMP musical ride for the past seven months after a long training period. The team was dispatched earlier this month to Europe for a tour there, and after shows in Germany and England, they took up positions in a rare post: the Queen's Life Guard.
The royal foot guards are well known for their red tunics and tall, fuzzy black hats and stoic professionalism. There is a mounted contingent as well. These are all active soldiers and the position is far more than ceremonial. They are charged with protecting the life of Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs to the throne of the Commonwealth.
Other Commonwealth nations have been invited to form part of the Queen's royal guard, none before or more often than Canada.
Australia provided the first women soldiers to stand on guard in the foot patrols, in 2000. The first British women received the honour in 2007.
On only two occasions prior to this year have personnel from Commonwealth nations comprised the mounted division. The RCMP was the first, in 1937, and Royal Canadian Regiment's Lord Strathcona's Horse division did so in 2000.
In all those cases, and in all domestic mounted units utilized by the British forces over the years - the royal guard dates back to about 1660 - the riders have been men. That changed Wednesday when McRae rode out with her fellow RCMP officers to take up their official positions at White Hall.
"This is significant...there are three of us that were chosen to participate in this incredible piece of history," she said.
The musical ride had already performed for the Queen as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Some were invited to have tea with her majesty. Others were invited to escort the riders out for a ceremonial polo match. McRae said there was a list of red serge events the members were requested for while in England.
"It is like a mini village here [at Windsor Castle during the Diamond Jubilee events] and is very exciting for me to be here. It is an honor to be chosen to perform for the Queen...I had butterflies," she said. "I have always thought about the musical ride in high regard and I truly believe that what the ride stands for is a very important part of the history for the RCMP and also for all of Canada as the ride is a national symbol. The musical ride is known world over and when I got an opportunity to apply for the three-year posting I jumped on it, I couldn't pass up such an honour."
The Mounties also got to perform in Germany for events organized by the Hanoverian Society. Their first show in Europe was in Verden, Germany as a warm-up for the royal occasions. Thirsty-six horses and their riders were flown over for these appearances. McRae said the Verden event was in front of 3,500 people.
"It was my first show and it was incredible," she said. "We performed inside an arena and it was loud as the people were cheering and clapping. There was a standing ovation at the end and I felt very proud of what I and the ride collectively accomplished."
McRae said the training is intense to qualify to sit a musical ride horse, and then each show is designed (there are several different routines the group learns) and rehearsed for months. The choreography is part dance, part parade, part historical spectacle.
"I am responsible for giving my lead file the directions for the ride, and if he happens to go the wrong way I take over until he can come back. It is a great spot and I feel very proud that I was chosen to ride that spot in my first year," she said. "You go to the shows and you really want to do a good job and you definitely feel the pressure. But once you get into the arena and start the show you are doing the movements and you almost forget that people are watching."
McRae also forms a family line of Mounties with rare jobs tied to the history of the force. Her father, retired member Glen McRae, ended his policing career in the rank of Sergeant Major for all of northern and western Canada - the rank dedicated to RCMP comportment and public presentation.
He presented the badge to his daughter in 2007 when the junior McRae officially graduated into the RCMP. Her first postings were to units in Kelowna and Westside. She moved to Ottawa one year ago to focus on the musical ride posting.
The musical ride is a touring ambassadorial unit of the RCMP. McRae will soon be riding the equine choreography in Manitoba, southern Ontario, the Topsfield Fair near Boston, the Wyoming State Fair and at the Calgary Stampede.
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