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The Royal Tulip. Taken at Major's Hill Park during Tulip Fest 2011, photo by Ron Hay.

Will and Kate visit Ottawa - June 30 - July 2, 2011

Prince William and Princess Kate - the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - have accepted the invitation to undertake a Royal Tour of Canada. They'll be in Ottawa from June 30 - July 2, including Canada Day. This is the second year in a row that Ottawa will host royals on Canada Day - last year, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip were in town.

Road closures

There are additional road closures in Ottawa during the Royal Visit. Click here for a complete list...

Itinerary - June 30

2:00pm: Arrival at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (closed to the public)
2:35pm: Wreath laying at the National War Memorial (open to the public)
The royal couple will place a wreath at the War Memorial, on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (CBC Radio reported that people started arriving at 5am to grab a good spot!)
3:15pm: Official welcoming ceremony at Rideau Hall (open to the public)
Includes an official ceremony and walkabout on the Rideau Hall grounds. His Royal Highness will receive full military honours, which will include the inspection of a guard of honour composed of Canadian Forces members. The ceremony will conclude with remarks by the Governor General, the Prime Minister and His Royal Highness.
(Free OC Transpo shuttle service from Aviation Museum and Hurdman Station to Rideau Hall)
6:00pm: Celebration of Youth Reception at Rideau Hall (closed to the public)
A reception (and BBQ) celebrating the service of Canadian Youth towards a smart and caring nation, hosted by David and Sharon Johnston and Stephen and Laureen Harper. This event will bring together over 120 Canadian youth selected for their work in areas of great interest to Their Royal Highnesses: support for service personnel and their families; conservation for future generations; children fulfilling their potential; changing lives through art and sport; and help and care at home.

July 1 - Canada Day

10:30am: Citizenship Ceremony at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (closed to the public)
A swearing-in ceremony for 25 new Canadians. The Governor General will deliver congratulatory remarks and present the new citizens with their citizenship certificates.
After the ceremony they'll head to Parliament Hill for the Noon Show. To get to Parliament Hill, we don't know for sure but based on previous royal visits, it's likely that shortly after 11:30am, they'll travel from Rideau Hall on Sussex drive, heading towards Rideau and then up to Wellington Street and Parliament Hill.

12:07pm: They'll arrive on Parliament Hill via landau (that's a fancy word for a fancy carriage), accompanied by the Governor General and his wife. They'll check out the Centennial Flame (maybe throw a coin in?), the Ceremonial Guard will play God Save The Queen, there will be a 21-gun salute and CF-18's will do a flyover.
Then Will & Kate will head up the centre walkway to their VIP seats in the royal box, and watch the Canada Day noon show. Prince William will make a speech as part of the show at 1:14pm.
If you're planning to stay overnight on June 30 Parliament HIll to get a good spot on the lawn, the RCMP says it's ok if you sleep on the hill but you can't set up tents or camping equipment. (Source: CBC Radio.)
1:45pm: When the show wraps up, Will and Kate will do a walk-about before leaving the Hill.
If you can't make it to Parliament Hill to watch, the noon show will be broadcast live on television on CBC Television, CBC News Network, Radio-Canada and RDI, and streamed on their web sites.
~~We hear that the royals will be watching the fireworks from the Lester B. Pearson building on Sussex Drive. (They'll be there for a special dedication earlier in the evening. Not open to the public.)~~ Turns out they watched the evening show from Parliament Hill.

Itinerary - July 2

12:40pm: Ceremonial tree planting at Rideau Hall (closed to the public)
Will & Kate will plant a Canadian hemlock tree in the royal grove area of Rideau Hall. The tradition of ceremonially planting a tree during Royal or State visits began with the Right Honourable Earl Grey, governor general of Canada from 1904 to 1911. Since that time, planting ceremonial trees has become a Canadian tradition, symbolizing the living friendship and co-operation of nations. Her Majesty The Queen and members of the Royal Family have planted 16 ceremonial trees on the grounds of Rideau Hall since 1939.
1:10pm: Canadian War Museum - Reception with Canadian veterans and their families (closed to the public)
To honour those who have contributed to the building of Canada, William and Kate will meet with about 30 veterans and war brides. During a tour of the Museum, the Royal Couple reflect on what Canadians have accomplished together and how we have defined ourselves through active service.
They'll depart Ottawa by mid-afternoon, heading next to Montreal.

More information

More itinerary information: Their Excellencies to Officially Welcome The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Canada at Rideau Hall
You can also visit the Government of Canada's official Royal Tour web site.
Also check out the Ottawa Citizen's: Royal Visit web site
OttawaStart Blog: Royals (recent blog posts about the royal visit & more)

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