The Royal Couple, Westbound: Prince William and Kate Choose Canada for First Overseas Visit

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A souvenir keyring for the royal wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton is pictured in a shop in central London, on January 18, 2011.

BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

No offense to our neighbors to the North, but whatever happened to the “special relationship?”

For their first official trip abroad as a married couple, Kate and Wills have decided to bypass Las Vegas, Celebration, Florida and America’s other cultural wonders in favor of Ottawa. The Canadian government began lobbying for the honor early. Prime Minister Stephen Harper invited the couple to visit after they became engaged in November and later commissioned stamps in their honor. Talk about greasing the wheels.

(More on TIME.com: Will Kate buy back her infamous sheer dress from auction?)

Americans shouldn’t feel too slighted. After all, Kate is the future Queen of Canada and she needs to look down on her subjects in person. And to fit in with her new family she needs to build on the Windsors’ love affair with the Canucks. Queen Elizabeth, who has visited Canada 22 times, appears on Canadian coins, and Prince Charles and Camilla have worked hard to maintain relations with the nation.

Prince William and his bride-to-be will celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa on July 1, and plan to take a trip to the Arctic as well (paparazzi aren’t nearly as agile in snow boots).

(More on TIME.com: Find out why brides from Liverpool to London have a bone to pick with Kate Middleton)