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Purple-lit Niagara Falls, CN Tower mistaken as Prince tributes

Niagara Falls lit up in bright purple to commemorate the long life of ... Queen Elizabeth II. Many on social media, however, mistook the colourful water display as a tribute to Purple Rain singer Prince, who died the same day as the monarch's 90th birthday.

Queen Elizabeth was celebrating her 90th birthday, which fell on same day as the musician's death

CBC News ·
Neither of these purple tributes was for American musician Prince, but as his death came the same day as the Queen's 90th birthday, there was some confusion. (Norm/Twitter, NiagaraPR/Facebook)

Niagara Falls lit up in bright purple to commemorate the long life of ... Queen Elizabeth II.

Her Majesty turned 90 years old on Thursday, the same day the world was shocked by the sudden death of legendary Purple Rain musician Prince at age 57. 

The timing sparked confusion. Many on social media assumed the lights and purple falls were for music royalty. 

Part of the confusion came from Americans looking over from their side of the falls. 

The mistake didn't just involve Niagara Falls. The CN Tower in Toronto also glowed purple to mark the Queen's birthday.

People didn't take long to identify the CN Tower as another tribute to Prince.

As a landmark, the CN Tower has a stronger tie to the musician than Niagara Falls, since Prince was married to a Canadian woman for a time and lived in Toronto, and had said he loved the city. 

Several monuments around the world did, in fact, turn purple in memory of Prince.

Los Angeles city hall as well as the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., also turned the shade. 

In Minneapolis, where Prince was born and about 32 kilometres from where he died, the I-35 W bridge shone purple at night. 

For Canada's unintentional tributes, some are choosing not to make the connection to the Queen. 

Many saw it as a fitting tribute to both figures.

But who knows, maybe it was intended to be this way.

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