Bristol's merchants dreamed for many years of having a major passenger shipping line based in the port. Then, in 1910, the Royal Line launched a fortnightly run to Canada. As well as first class passengers, the two ships Royal Edward and Royal George carried many emigrants to a new life in North America.

The poster showing the Royal Edward was designed to extol the good life awaiting emigrants to Canada: the rolling prairie, fields of wheat, sunshine and healthy prairie women. It also sold the Royal Line as the 'Fastest to Canada' with the Royal Edward getting passengers to their new life faster than any other ships on the Britain to Canada run.

It was a short-lived shipping line, as the First World War ended the service. The ships were commandeered for military use. The Royal Edward was used as a troop ship, and was sunk by torpedoes in 1915 with the loss of almost 1,000 lives.