In 1939 King George VI visited Canada with Queen Elizabeth (1900–2002), the first visit by a reigning monarch of that country. Accompanied by the Canadian Prime Minister, the royal couple covered over 8,600 miles on the Royal Train, and stopped frequently to meet soldiers, trappers, Boy Scouts and other members of the public. It was during this tour that the first recorded royal 'walkabout' took place, when Queen Elizabeth entered the crowd to talk with veterans assembled for unveiling of the Ottawa war memorial. She later said of the tour, 'I lost my heart to Canada and to Canadians, and my feelings have not changed with the passage of time'.