Prince Charles and Camilla spend the day in Ottawa
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla had a busy itinerary in Ottawa on Day 2 of their visit to Canada, running behind schedule for much of the day, but patient royal watchers were thrilled to meet them.
The royal tour, marking the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, saw the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in St. John’s, N.L. Tuesday. They arrived in Ottawa Tuesday night and spent Wednesday here. They will be in Yellowknife, N.W.T. on Thursday.
The Ottawa portion of the tour included a packed itinerary.
The first stop saw the Prince of Wales invested into the Order of Military Merit at Rideau Hall.
Charles and Camilla joined Governor General Mary Simon at the National War Memorial to pay tribute to Canadian veterans.
They met with members of the local Ukrainian community and took part in a traditional prayer service at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral on Byron Avenue.
Ukrainian Canadian Congress National Secretary Cassian Soltykevych told CTV News Ottawa ahead of the tour it’s nice to see the royals visit the local Ukrainian community.
"They’ll not only meet with the congress, but also other people in the community. It’s really showcasing to see what the Ottawa Ukrainian community has done.”
The royals then visited the ByWard Market for a walkabout with Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.
That walkabout included a meeting with Serge Cleroux, a vendor in the market for 30 years, a visit to Sasloves meat market, and a visit to the BeaverTails stand to meet owner Grant Hooker. The couple was given a "Royal BeaverTails for Life" card.
"We told them that they don't need to go hungry if they're in Canada because we've got a lot of stores across the country," Hooker said. "But they would need to present two pieces of valid photo ID for the card to work. They laughed, and I was relieved that they did!"
The royal couple visited Assumption Elementary School in Vanier to promote youth literacy and highlight the experiences of newcomers to Canada.
“My mom told me that the Prince was coming to our school and I was really happy. My mom told me to put on my suit and my shoes,” said Duku Amule, a Grade 5 student.
Duku also had a special honour. He helped hold the door open for the Prince and Duchess. “The Prince and the Prince’s wife shook my hand and said, 'You look really handsome today.' and I said thank you.”
Many of the students at the school are new to Canada, including Florence Awoyemi and her brother Enoch. They came to Canada from Nigeria only a few years ago. “I was very excited, very nervous, but very excited. I have never met royalty or anyone famous before,” says Florence. “I did some research about the Queen's favourite colour and it's royal blue. Mine is forget-me-not blue, so I made sure to wear a blue dress today.”
Enoch says the day is still sinking in. “I just met royalty - and I have never met someone royal before so that was very special for me.”
Grade 4 student Anaya Silue was able to meet Prince Charles with her mom, Zoro Lou Sounde.
“To be here and to talk to the Prince, it was a very nice day!”
The royal visit at the school included a visit to a classroom, and to the gymnasium. The Duchess of Cornwall also read to a group of students and was there as a young boy, celebrating his birthday, selected a book from the library's book vending machine. The first book he selected got stuck as the cameras were rolling, but the second time was the charm.
After that, the couple took in a special performance of the RCMP Musical Ride, and met Mounties and toured the stable. Prince Charles has been an honorary RCMP commissioner since 2012. this was the first Musical Ride in two years, as the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to the ceremony. Today, it was held in front of royalty.
Prince Charles met with young women who have settled in Canada after fleeing the recent conflict in Afghanistan, as well as representatives of the 30 Birds Foundation program that aided their resettlement. Following that, he also met Prince's Trust program participantsc, including veterans who have started their own businesses, young people who have overcome barriers to secure employment, and partners who make the impact possible.
The itinerary included a short break at Rideau Hall for the couple before the Prince attended a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He then took part in a climate change and sustainable finance roundtable with Trudeau.
"I've been trying to bring people from around the world together on sustainability for something dreadful like 40 years now," Prince Charles said. "What we do today fundamentally impacts the future of our children and grandchildren."
Prince Charles will hold bilateral talks with Governor General Mary Simon at Rideau Hall.
The couple's day in the capital will wrap up with a gala at Rideau Hall to celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
In attendance at this soiree will be a mix of Canadians who “have dedicated their lives to serving their communities.”
This is Charles’s 19th visit to Canada and Camilla’s fifth. They were last in Canada in 2017 to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Katie Griffin, Leah Larocque, and Michael Woods.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.
The House is on the brink of approving aid for Ukraine and Israel after months of struggle
The House is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve US$95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies.