When a nine-month-old Prince George made his first overseas tour to Australia in 2014, he was swiftly dubbed the Republican slayer. Tomorrow the now three-year-old royal will be joined by one-year-old sister Princess Charlotte on her first overseas tour and it’s a safe bet that the double whammy of royal cuteness will provide another boost in the monarchy’s popularity, certainly in Canada, but probably in Australia too. The Cambridge family is key to the future of a reigning House of Windsor and Canada – like Australia – is a crucial part of that future.
The Weekly has been invited to join the royal media entourage and I will be on the ground in Canada bringing aww.com.au every step of what promises to be an action packed tour.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte will spend their visit based at Government House in Victoria and while Kensington Palace cannot confirm the royal children’s attendance at any of the official events except for the arrival and departure from the country, it’s highly likely the siblings will join their parents on at least one of the days. A safe hunch would be that the children’s party at Government House for families of the military on the 29th is also likely to have the royal duo as star guests.
But the first sighting of the world’s most famous brother and sister will be coming down the airplane steps with their parents in Victoria tomorrow afternoon. Those pictures will ricochet around the world in seconds along with much-studied detail of the family’s outfits. The Duchess’s wardrobe is expected to combine high street pieces with some designer dresses, probably featuring a couple of Canadian fashion designers. There will also certainly be some more casual outfits to suit the outdoor pursuits on the schedule.
Once the Prince and Princess are settled at Government House tomorrow, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will begin the tour in earnest and 10,000 are expected to turn out for a scheduled walkabout outside Parliament House.
This is William and Kate’s second joint visit to the realm, their first was in 2011 shortly after their wedding. The couple has been heavily involved in the itinerary which reflects their public and private interests.
As with their tour to India and Bhutan earlier this year, the visit is part of The Queen’s 90th birthday year celebrations and the couple will be greeted by Prime Minister Trudeau and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. The Trudeaus will then join the couple for a number of events on the tour program.
“Canadians have tremendous affection for the Royal Family, and are excited to welcome The Duke and Duchess to our nation for their second official Royal Tour of Canada. Sophie and I look forward to showcasing beautiful British Columbia and to promoting awareness of both youth and mental health issues alongside Their Royal Highnesses.” said Trudeau earlier today.
It’s a packed schedule with more than 30 engagements over eight days designed to meet as many Canadians as possible and showcase some of the world’s most spectacular scenery in British Columbia and Yukon. As well as the usual ceremonial duties, we can expect to see the couple sailing, fishing and canoeing. They will be heading to some incredibly remote indigenous communities as well as the home of the grizzly bears and Kermode or spirit bears, a species of black bear known for its white fur.
There will be a focus on initiatives that support mental health, drug addiction, families in need, emergency services, children’s education and conservation and the Duke and Duchess will also get the chance to meet some of the 30,000 Syrian refugees Canada has welcomed.
Today in Victoria there’s a welling sense of excitement with many planning to hit the streets tomorrow to try and catch a glimpse of the couple. Traditionally British Columbians are royalists and lots of the locals I talked to today had stories of seeing the Queen here and also Prince Charles with Princes William and Harry on a bonding skiing holiday not long after their mother’s death. Victorians feel honoured that Diana’s eldest son has chosen to bring his wife and children to their shores and certainly here the Cambridge family can expect an uproarious reception.
“The Duke and Duchess are delighted with the program that has been put together for this tour,” said a Kensington Palace spokesman. “They cannot wait to get to Canada and start learning about new parts of a country that will play such an important part of their lives for many years to come.”
Words: AWW Editor Juliet Rieden on location in British Columbia
