Queen Elizabeth II has wrapped up her trip to the island of Malta, where she joked about Canadian leader Justin Trudeau making her feel old, according to Yahoo News. The monarch arrived at the capital of Valletta on Saturday, revisiting the island that she called her home between 1949 and 1951, while her husband Prince Philip served in the Royal Navy.
Over the three-day visit the queen opened a summit of the 53-nation Commonwealth of Britain and many of its former colonies, which included talks on combating climate change, violent extremism and corruption, as reported by Yahoo News.
She was toasted by newly appointed Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau who quipped that the queen had "seen more of Canada than most Canadians" and made reference to the length of her reign, as reported by CNS News. The queen responded in a similarly jovial tone, thanking the 43-year-old Trudeau for "making me feel so old", according to CNS. It has been speculated that this trip may have marked the last of the queen's attendance at the biennial Commonwealth summits, given that her increasing age at 89 may preclude her from strenuous long-distance traveling, according the The Telegraph.
The next Commonwealth should have taken place in Vanatu in 2017, but far-reaching destruction caused by a cyclone in March means that it is now due to take place in Britain in 2018, as reported by Yahoo News.
The queen was complimentary towards Malta before departing, saying that she had always been impressed with its progress and optimism and that "with each visit I am reminded why Malta was awarded the George Cross in 1942... I have seen this country evolve into a strong nation which plats an important role on the world stage," reported by the Times of Malta. Malta is the only country that has received the George Cross as a nation, given that it is usually an award reserved for individuals.
