Remember Canada? That place in the South Park song? Well Prince William and Kate are heading there now, eh?
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will touch down in Ottawa at 2 p.m. local time on Thursday. From the airport, they will make their way to the capitol, where thousands of Canadians have taken to the streets, eager to catch a glimpse of their future suzerains. Kate was sporting her usual blow-dried locks and signature risk-averse style: a navy blazer with gold buttons (Smythe, £579), blue Roland Mouret dress, matching blue stilettos and a £895 Mulberry handbag. Kate is said to have hired a personal shopper from upscale department store Selfridges, which may signal that she’s abandoned her trademark “down to earth” frocks.
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The young royals will kick off their 9-day tour with the July 1 fireworks for Canada Day. (It’s like Independence Day, minus the complete independence from the Brits.) Later in the trip, they’ll cheer on the broncos at the Calgary Stampede (wearing ten-gallon white cowboy hats), race canoes off Prince Edward Island, and don aprons for a cooking workshop in Quebec City. Canada’s prime minister has even unveiled a new slightly, er, busy flag for the Prince to use on the visit, the first time such an honor has been conferred on a visiting royal in 50 years.
On July 8 the couple will leave the northern climes and jet to Southern California to defrost. There, they’ll indulge in a bit of glitz by hosting a gala to introduce new British talent to Hollywood execs. (See? They are helpful to Britain and deserve their arbitrary privileges!) Then, Prince William will take up a mallet (and Kate award the trophy) for a charity polo match in Santa Barbara on July 9th, which has already sold 1,000 VIP tickets. Afterwards, SoCal’s arrivistes can pay $4,000 for the privilege of rubbing shoulders with the royals and nibbling on pea pesto crostini prepared by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis. The notably un-chaste De Laurentiis has declared her outfit for the event will evoke a “modern-day Pretty Woman.” You stay classy, California.
