There was much 'royal watching' rejoicing when my mother gave birth to my elder brother in 1948, her first, as Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip had their first child in that same year, the bonny Prince Charles, who is (as it happens now) still waiting to ascend the throne at age 62.
I pondered why this particular photograph was of interest, apart from being merely a photograph of King George VI and Queen Anne.
Two weeks before I found this clipping in the family archive, I had watched a documentary on this particular visit. It was fresh in my memory, and it revealed how important this visit to Canada was.
As an historian, I realised that this particular Royal visit to Canada proved to be a huge success and also of vital importance as there were rumblings at that time in Canada about their loyalty to the British Crown.
This photograph however shows the King and Queen at the very start of this diplomatic journey; they hadn't even left London but were heading in the general direction of the ship.
It is fascinating today, 71 years later, how crowds gathered in London to get a glimpse of the King and Queen and in this instance, there must have been a great deal of media attention, in that they were on their way overseas.
Canada was for many English people, a life-time away. They had images of tall fir tress, and the only reason one might dare to travel to Canada was to migrate to a new life for economic reasons, or for extreme adventure.
Many people have made this journey, not only to Canada but to many parts of the world. In a recent Australian Missionary News ITIV video interview, Tony Dunkerley the President of the Victorian Football Association, spoke of the drama of leaving familiar territory and being a "ten pound Pom in 1964" when he came to Australia.
tv.bushorchestra.com/Professionals/videopages/tony_dunkerley.html
Coincidentally, my mother, too made this strange journey at the tender age of 13 to live with an Uncle and Aunt.
In a miraculous way, this is the same drama and challenge that any person faces when they are hear the message of the Cross of Jesus Christ and the Salvation he offers and says, "that's for me!"
That big decision to become a follower of Jesus is certainly like a leap into unknown and un-chartered territory, and both the journey and the destination change one's life forever.