Hundreds of staff at Rideau Hall were working until late Wednesday night to prepare not only for the arrival of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Thursday, but for the 6,000 people who came out to see them.
The royal couple arrived Thursday afternoon and was greeted by thousands of well-wishers at the governor general's residence, where they will be staying during their time in Ottawa.
Mark Burleton, manager of grounds and greenhouses for all official residences within the National Capital Commission, said Mother Nature threw a wrench in his already tight timeline on Wednesday.
"We had a tree down yesterday that was literally uprooted with the winds we had. So we had a tree down and we had to get a contract company to come in and get it down…there was no option," Burleton said.
In addition to the last minute unexpected tree maintenance, Burleton said staff were in a full-court press for months to finish ongoing restoration projects, trim trees and shrubs, plant flowers and make sure that everything that needed a fresh coat of paint, received one.
There were also massive logistical challenges around bringing 6,000 visitors to Rideau Hall, from co-ordinating security with the RCMP to bringing in portable washrooms and even constructing a turnaround for a three-ton RCMP truck.
"Once we knew it was happening everyone started to gear up. We began getting ready right from the moment it was announced," Burleton said.
In one of his final acts before leaving Ottawa, William will plant a tree in the royal grove on the Rideau Hall grounds.
William will plant a Canadian hemlock in a grove that also boasts trees that were planted by Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Prince Charles and Lady Diana.
King George VI, in 1939, was the first member of the royal family to plant a tree at Rideau Hall.
