Prince Edward and wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, will arrive in Canada on Tuesday for the start of their seven-day tour.
The working visit will begin in Ottawa, Ont. and include stops in Trenton, Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catharines, and Midland, Ont. The Queen’s youngest son and his wife will also head North to visit Iqaluit, Nunavut.
The couple has visited Canada numerous times but never before to the northern part of Canada.
“It is something (Prince Edward) has been wanting to do for a number of years,” Bonnie Brownlee, CTV’s royal commentator told CTV News Channel.
Host organizations and communities will be announcing events but no official itinerary has been released yet.
Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, who act as colonels-in-chief, will engage in work with a number of Canadian Forces regiments during the tour. The visit also lands amidst Canada’s War of 1812 celebrations, Brownlee said.
The couple will appear at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope, Ont. this upcoming Saturday as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
On Sunday, Sept. 16 the couple will appear at the historical heritage site, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons at noon. The visit will be hosted by Ontario’s Lt.-Gov. David Onley. This will be the British Royal Family’s first visit to Sainte-Marie among the Hurons.
Both events will be open to the public and Brownlee expects the royals to “be very accessible.”
While in Ottawa and Toronto they will also give out approximately 250 Duke of Edinburgh awards to celebrate outstanding young Canadians.
The Countess of Wessex appeared in Toronto last November for the announcement of the Kae Martin Campus, a new autism centre bringing together education, training and research into one location. Both are patrons of a number of Canadian charitable and community organizations.
“They’ve emerged as a true royal couple. Of all the children of the queen they are happily married. They have two children and they carry themselves very well,” said Brownlee.
