The Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire was founded by Margaret Polson Murray in Fredericton, N.B. to foster understanding between British women and their Canadian sisters. Members pledged themselves to loyalty and patriotic service for the Empire. It was to be a non-sectarian and non-political order.

On 19 April 1901 a Primary Chapter of the I.O.D.E. was formed in Charlottetown known as the Royal Edward Chapter. Its first service was to contribute to the National Trust Fund and to send comforts to the soldiers in the Boer War. War work including the sending of parcels to soldiers, fund raising to contribute to equipment for army hospitals, to various funds such as the Prisoner of War Fund, the Bomber-Aircraft Fund, the Rena MacLean Fund, and cooperation in the national effort for voluntary registration of women for emergency war services, was a major part of the activities of the Order during the two World Wars.

In times of peace the Order turned its efforts to community service being particularly active in the educational field, supplying books, maps and other materials to schools and offering scholarships to promising students. It also supported and cooperated with all the major organizations and institutions offering service to the community, such as the Legion, hospitals, the Orphanage, the Red Cross, and the Girl Guides.