Queen Elizabeth looks at a bowl given to her as a gift, as Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, left, looks on. Photo: Kevin Frayer/AFP

Toronto — An evening gala hosted by the prime minister and featuring world-renowned jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, Cirque du Soleil and Canadian rock darlings the Tragically Hip capped an eventful day for the royal couple's visit to southern Ontario.

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Backgrounder: Royal Visit 2002

Queen Elizabeth donned eyeglasses to watch the eclectic mix of song and dance from a balcony decorated in greenery and white flowers, dazzling even from afar in a pale blue-green sequined gown, a diamond Crown dotted with green jewels and matching earrings.

Master of ceremonies Colm Feore noted her Jubilee year comes as the National Ballet, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and the Stratford Festival all reach their 50th anniversaries as well.

"It is mere coincidence, madam, that we came to our cultural senses when you ascended to the throne?" said Mr. Feore, known for his portrayals of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau and pianist Glen Gould.

Earlier, Queen Elizabeth reprised her ceremonial duties as colonel-in-chief to one of Hamilton's army regiments, while her husband played cupid for a pair of young twins in Toronto.

The 76-year-old monarch presented new colours to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to traditional military fanfare, replacing the worn pair of regimental flags she gave the reserve unit when she was still a princess.

"In entrusting these colours to your care today, I charge you to carry the Argyll spirit into the regiment's second century," the Queen said in one of only four scheduled speaking engagements during her Canadian visit.

The ceremony included more than 200 serving members of the regiment on parade, plus the full regimental band and the band of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. About 3,000 veterans, former members of the Argylls and friends were in the audience to kick off celebrations of its centennial.

"I sense the pride and dedication that is evident in each and every one of you on parade today," the Queen said after watching a ceremonial march inside the arena that was just short of being filled to its 18,000-person capacity.

Regimental colours refer to the two ceremonial flags of a regiment; and are venerated for symbolizing its history and traditions. The Highlander's Regimental Colour is primrose — the traditional shade of yellow for highland regiments — and bears the unit's leopard head and name surrounded by 20 major battle honours won in both world wars. The other flag, known as the Queen's Colour is a similar to a Canadian flag with slight embellishment.

The Department of National Defence will pick up the $8,300 tab for the new flags, fashioned from heavy-gauge silk.

Meanwhile, in Toronto, Prince Philip presented his Duke of Edinburgh award, which recognizes youth between the ages 14 and 25 who set and achieve goals in personal skills, community service, fitness and wilderness expeditions.

The unpredictable Prince strayed from a tightly organized itinerary while greeting the winners when he spied two sets of twins and decided to try to spark a love connection.

Upon coming across twin brothers Adam and Matthew Baxter of Milton, Ont., he dashed a few steps over to the spot where he had just met twin sisters Kathyrn and Ashley Houlden of Toronto.

To everyone's surprise, he grabbed the girls and made a formal introduction between the two pairs. There were smiles and red faces all around.

"It was fun, but kind of embarrassing," Ashley told CFTO-TV, the local CTV affiliate.

"It was a bit random to have him pull you and go: I've got people for you to meet," said Kathryn Houlden. "It was kind of cool, though."

"I definitely didn't expect anything like that," said Adam Baxter.

"I thought this'd be a very formal ceremony but you have to keep it light sometimes."

Earlier, the Duke was inducted as the first honorary senior fellow of Massey College, part of the University of Toronto.

Things were decidedly more scripted for Queen Elizabeth's first full day on her Jubilee visit to Ontario.

She began the day at an animation school in Oakville, Ont., known for alumni that produce eye-popping music-video graphics and Oscar-winning movie effects for Hollywood films like Shrek and The Mask.

Among about 800 people who waited for the Queen's arrival outside Sheridan College was Danny Molek, a 21-year-old student who donned a cardboard horse's head in hopes of getting her attention.

"She loves horses," he explained.

After a tour of the college, the Queen lunched with 25 students and dignitaries, including Ontario Premier Ernie Eves and federal Heritage Minister Sheila Copps.

During the tour, the Queen watched an animated short prepared by student Andrew Kim. It featured Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, during a royal visit in 1860. The Queen's ancestor would become King Edward VII on the death of his mother, Queen Victoria, in 1901.

After viewing the project, the Queen shook Kim's hand and told him: "Thank you, that's very kind."

"It was a very exciting moment," Kim said after the encounter.

Later, moments before the Queen arrived to unveil a plaque at the college, a young brunette in an adjacent glass-walled room held up a sign reading: Hook me up with Prince William! She hastily pulled it away as the monarch approached.

At lunch, Mr. Eves praised the Queen's ideals during her 50 years on the throne and thanked her for visiting the province.

"We have witnessed a reign of outreach, a reign of compassion, a reign of public service, not just in Canada but across the Commonwealth and indeed around the world," Mr. Eves said.

Mr. Eves also said a $3,500 provincial scholarship for high-school graduates going to university would be renamed in her honour.

The royals are scheduled to leave for Fredericton on Friday.