As the representative of The Crown in the province of British Columbia, all Lieutenant Governors have an audience with Her Majesty The Queen near the start of their mandate.  On October 16, 2018, the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, met with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at Buckingham Palace in London. Accompanied by her husband, His Honour Ashley Chester, the meeting with Her Majesty was very inspiring. Quite meaningfully, Her Majesty recalled the gardens of Government House and the volunteers (known as the Friends of Government Gardens Society) who wore tirelessly to make it so memorable.

The trip also afforded the opportunity to visit Canada House and meet with Her Excellency Janice Charette, Canadian High Commissioner. Canada House, set on Trafalgar Square, is home to an exquisite collection of Canadian art, with wonderful representation from British Columbia. Her Honour and His Honour also visited the Palace of Westminster, including the House of Lords, where one evening they enjoyed dinner in the Peers Dining Room by invitation of Lord Patel of Bradford “to celebrate the visit of the Lieutenant Governor”, and on another day, a tour with Mr. Patrick  Milner, Private Secretary to the Lord Speaker, and Ms. Zana Paul, Assistant Head of International Relations. Her Honour also held a meeting with executives for the Trust for Sustainable Living.