Princess Margriet of the Netherlands has returned to Ottawa to mark the opening of the Canadian Tulip Festival. Nearly a million tulips are blooming across the capital, marking the liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War. The National Capital Commission (NCC) created the first tulip beds in Ottawa in 1945, with the tulips gifted to Canada from the Netherlands in recognition for Canada’s role in the liberation of the country. Margriet has her own connection to the capital. She was born at the Ottawa Civic Hospital on Jan. 19, 1943, while the Dutch royal family was living in exile in Ottawa during the war, with the hospital room temporarily declared extraterritorial. The 83-year-old princess and her husband, Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven, visited Ottawa City Hall on Friday. They were greeted with a ceremonial welcome and Margriet signed the City of Ottawa guestbook. She also had a private meeting with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. “The enduring friendship between Canada and the Netherlands was forged through courage, commitment and sacrifice. I’m very proud that in a time of war, Ottawa provided shelter to Her Royal Highness and her family,” said Sutcliffe in a news release. “In return, we received a symbol of hope that still blooms today. It is an incredible honour to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet back to Ottawa, the city where this extraordinary story began.” This year’s visit coincides with the 200th anniversary of the founding of Bytown, which later became Ottawa. Margriet met with Prime Minister Mark Carney and visited the Canadian War Museum on Thursday to take part in a wreath-laying ceremony. She will attend the opening of the Canadian Tulip Festival on Saturday. Then, on Monday, Margriet will visit the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus, her birthplace, and deliver tulips to staff. The Canadian Tulip Festival runs until May 18 at Dow’s Lake in Ottawa.
