OTTAWA — Thirty-eight years after his father caused an international sensation with a pirouette behind an oblivious Queen, Justin Trudeau is going to meet the monarch.
The prime minister says he's looking forward to meeting and speaking with the Queen on his way to Malta near the end of the month.
Trudeau will visit her before attending the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Valetta Nov. 27-29 and later the United Nations climate change conference in Paris.
Former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, known for his flamboyance, was caught on camera doing a pirouette behind the Queen in May 1977 as they took part in a G7 summit in London, England.
Years after what many thought was a spontaneous event, one of Pierre Trudeau's aides revealed that the gesture was planned and even rehearsed as a show of disdain for a palace protocol that separated heads of government from heads of state.
This time, the younger Trudeau is indicating that he doesn't share that attitude.
"I am absolutely delighted that Her Majesty has graciously agreed to this meeting," he said in a statement Thursday.
"As the Queen’s 12th Canadian prime minister, I am honoured and very much look forward to spending this time in conversation with her."
"In her role as Queen of Canada, she has not only witnessed but also been an active participant in the evolution of our country over the past 63 years. Her Majesty will remain an integral part of our country’s progress and future."
The Prime Minister's Office said a precise time for the audience has yet to be announced.
