"The Queen is arriving in about four hours," says David Harris, a protocol officer in British Columbia, with excitement in his voice. "Needless to say, we're very busy around here."
Harris' office is completing last-minute preparations for a royal visit during Her Majesty's tour.
"We have people unloading trucks, on the phone for last-minute details. We're all working hard."
As the Queen of England is one of the world's most highly regarded foreign visitors, protocol must be strictly followed.
"A visit from the Queen involves a great deal of protocol," agrees Jeannie Bates, communications manager and protocol officer for the mayor in Vancouver.
"You have to know the hierarchy. The mayor has been asked to attend the Queen, but there is an order that must be followed.
"You have to think about where they'll stand and where they'll sit. It's all so important."
A great deal of thought must go into a royal visit, and the planning begins months in advance. For example, chefs must consult with Buckingham Palace about what to cook. They must make sure that none of the meals the Queen plans to eat while in the country are the same.
During one stop, a menu error was diverted at the last minute. Apparently the Queen only drinks whole, unhomogenized milk. That's hard to come by in Canada. Fortunately, staffers were able to smooth over the situation by locating the one dairy in British Columbia that still makes such a product.
"We really have to think about all the details when we get such a high-profile visit," says Bates.
It is a pleasure to arrange visits from people such as the Queen, but Bates enjoys arranging all types of meetings with the mayor.
"This week I'm arranging a meeting with the daughters of the architects who built city hall," says Bates. "They are all in their 70s and 80s. We'll offer them tea and coffee and half an hour with the mayor."
In fact, a half-hour visit with the mayor is just about what any visiting dignitary can expect. "I coordinate and schedule these meetings," says Bates. "This scheduling can be very challenging."
Bates does all of the scheduling on computer, but three other people also have access to the program. "I have to make sure that as the schedule fills up and changes that we have convenient meeting times for the mayor. We can't have him running all over the place, all the time."
By sorting out the mayor's schedule and arranging meetings with dignitaries and citizens alike, Bates gets to meet all types of people. "I get to meet and deal with all sorts of people," she says. "It's what makes the work so enjoyable."
Protocol officers must like interacting with the public. "I'm very much a people person and enjoy meeting people," says Oriella Goff. She is deputy chief of protocol for an American military installation in Italy.
"The enjoyable aspect of the job is you get to meet high-level visitors," she adds. "Many times we have...shows where we get to meet actors, singers and notable sports figures."
Goff has been fortunate enough to greet high-level military dignitaries and celebrities such as Bo Derek, Wayne Newton, the Pointer Sisters and many others.
She adds that getting out of the office and traveling with the visitors is also a great change of pace.
In order to work with so many people from different backgrounds, Goff thinks it's essential to have a little knowledge in many areas. "I feel it's important that the protocol officer be well-versed in a collection of subjects, including math, science and the arts."
Harris agrees that protocol officers need this knowledge, and that they can come from a variety of backgrounds. For example, Harris has a military background.
"There are many different jobs in protocol, but nine out of 10 people work their way up through the government, gaining experience," says Harris.
"It's pretty hard to come right out of school and get a job in protocol. Not so much anymore, but people used to work their way up through the military as well," he says. "Communications is now a good background for people working in protocol for large corporations."
Whatever the area of work, Harris says that students should remember every day isn't spent planning a visit from the Queen. "There is more mundane organization that has to be done. I don't travel out of the [area], but I do spend quite a bit of time on the road."
"I organize all types and levels of events," agrees Bates, who meets with the media, citizens, consular generals and mayors from other major cities. "But it's this variety, too, that makes the work so interesting."