FAQ

On June 28, the Governor General's Office announced that The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will visit Canada from November 2 to 12, 2009. 

Which provinces and cities/communities will the Royal Couple visit?
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will visit British Columbia (Victoria, Vancouver), Ontario (Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Petawawa, and Ottawa), Quebec (Montréal) and Newfoundland and Labrador (St. John's, Cupids and Brigus).

What is the itinerary of the visit?
A full itinerary has been developed in collaboration with a number of municipalities, provinces and private organizations, as well as other federal departments. The itinerary is available on the Royal Visit website. Canadians are invited to participate in public opportunities to welcome the Royal Couple to Canada. To obtain more information on specific events we encourage you to contact the hosting organizations.

Will there be opportunities for the public to see the Prince and the Duchess?
Yes, Canadians will be invited to participate in public opportunities to see and welcome the Royal Couple.  A full itinerary of events that are open to the public was announced on October 30, 2009.

How can I invite the Prince and the Duchess?
The planning of this visit has been ongoing for quite some time and, consequently, the itinerary for Their Royal Highnesses is quite full. As a result, no further engagements are being considered at this time.

What is the protocol when meeting a member of the royal family?
Visits by members of the Royal Family are always special occasions, but individual engagements can range from the very formal to the informal. For information on the protocol when meeting a member of the royal family consult the guidelines

How is the itinerary developed?
The Government of Canada has an ongoing planning process for Royal Visits. The Government receives requests for visits from members of the Royal Family from the provinces or territories, cities, and private organizations.  The government of Canada works closely with all involved to ensure a successful visit.  The Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for the overall management of official Royal Visits.

The Prince and The Duchess will be here during Remembrance Day. Will they participate in any Remembrance Day ceremonies?
Yes, The Prince and The Duchess will take part in the National Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.  Details about their schedule for that day are included in the formal itinerary.

Where can I find a portrait of The Prince and The Duchess?
The Government of Canada does not produce an official portrait of The Prince of Wales or The Duchess of Cornwall.

To order an official picture of the Queen produced by the Government of Canada consult the Canadian Heritage website

Daily photos of their royal highnesses visit to Canada will be posted in the Photo Gallery of this Website.

Photos of The Prince and The Duchess are also available on The Prince of Wales' official web site.

When was the last official Royal Visit to Canada?
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh last came to Canada in 2005 to commemorate the 100th anniversaries of Saskatchewan and Alberta.  They visited Regina, Saskatoon, Jasper, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Calgary.

The Prince of Wales has been visiting Canada for almost 40 years.  He has been here 14 times and has visited every province and, if we count his visits to communities in Nunavut that took place before the creation of the territory in 1999, he visited every territory as well. His last visit was in 2001 when he toured the National Capital Region, Regina, Moose Jaw, Assiniboia, Saskatoon, Whitehorse, and Mayo (Yukon).

This will be the first official visit to Canada for the Duchess of Cornwall.

How much will this official Royal Visit cost?
We will not be able to calculate the cost of the visit until several months after it is over, when all the paperwork and receipts have been processed.  The costs are shared by the federal and provincial governments.

Royal visits provide opportunities for Canadians to learn more about their history and their institutions. Such events and commemorations inspire a sense of pride and foster a greater understanding and appreciation of uniquely Canadian institutions such as the Canadian Crown and the values and symbols that unite us all.

Planning for the 2009 Royal Visit reflects current economic conditions, at the same time, respects the institution of the Crown in Canada.

Who pays for royal visits to Canada?
There are two kind of royal visits: official visits and working or private visits:

When an official visit invitation is extended by the Government of Canada, the costs are covered by the Government of Canada. The provinces cover the costs of their own activities, and also share a portion of the travel and accommodation costs with the Government of Canada as hosts, based on pre-determined "cost-sharing agreements."

In a working or private visit, the invitation to the member of the Royal family is not extended by the Government of Canada; it may be extended by groups, such as regiments, sports organizations, etc.  In these instances, the Government of Canada has no financial involvement except security.

How much does the Monarchy cost Canadians?
The Government of Canada does not contribute funding in support of the Royal Households in the United Kingdom.

Our system of government in Canada is a constitutional monarchy. The Government of Canada provides support for The Queen's representatives, the Governor General and our Lieutenant Governors in the provinces, and for Official Royal Visits from The Queen and her family.