Last week we got to see the official photo of Prince William and Kate Middleton released to coincide with their first ever North American visit as a married couple and today is the big day … Wills and Kate are on their way! The couple left England earlier today and are scheduled to arrive in Ottawa, Canada this afternoon to beging the Canadian leg of their royal tour. The royals won’t be arriving in the US until next week … but today, they set foot on North American soil to begin their royal visit.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge proved they were in perfect sync as they boarded a plane to Canada today. Wearing matching navy blue, the couple were pictured on the runway heading to the Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft at London’s Heathrow Airport. They are expected to land in Ottawa at 2pm local time. Kate was the picture of understated elegance on the runway in a blue shift dress and matching £579 blazer with gold buttons, by Smythe. She accessorized with blue court shoes and a £895 Mulberry handbag. William wore a suit of the same colour and a red tie. With her hair freshly blow-dried, Kate’s glossy mane will no doubt continue to look flawless throughout the trip as she is rumoured to be travelling with her hairdresser James Pryce. Her wardrobe has been kept under wraps but potential outfits have been an endless source of speculation over the last few weeks. Kate is said to have hired a personal shopper at London department store Selfridges. Judging by her outfit today, it seems Kate is starting to favour high-end labels over the High Street. Either way, the couple are on a tight schedule. William and Kate’s arrival in the Commonwealth country is eagerly anticipated and their appearance later in the capital is expected to draw thousands on to the streets. They will be celebrating Canada Day in Ottawa, opening the Calgary Stampede and canoeing in the Northwest Territories before taking off to Los Angeles. Canada’s prime minister has even unveiled a personal flag for use during William’s visit. It is the first flag to be created by Canada for a member of the royal family since 1962, when the queen adopted a personal flag for her own use in Canada. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the flag was approved by the queen and William. The Canadian secretary to Queen Elizabeth II and the chief organizer of the trip Kevin MacLeod said: ‘I think given the youth and the dynamism of this couple they will simply continue to reaffirm the important role the crown plays in this country. The young prince also plans to demonstrate his skills as a helicopter rescue pilot by taking part in a water landing demonstration, and the couple is scheduled to put on aprons and take part in a cooking workshop in Quebec City … The prince and Kate jet to Los Angeles on July 8 and will host a gala dinner there the next night to introduce up-and-coming British film talent to Hollywood executives. The southern California trip includes a $4,000 three-course meal and a charity polo match up close with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are formally known. So far, about 1,000 VIP tickets have been sold to the polo match along with about 400 general admission passes, raising nearly $4.4 million for the July 9 event. William plans to play in the match, and his wife will award the trophy to the winning team. William will be celebrating Canada’s birthday on Friday, the same day his mother Diana would have turned 50. He is due to say a few words at a number of stops. Kate is not scheduled to speak.

I don’t know about you … but I’m excited by this visit! To me, to be honest, the royals are merely British celebs so their visit to North America is kinda fun for me as a US citizen. I understand some anti-Royal protestors plan to make themselves known at various stops along the way in Canada so the couples’ visit is not without its small share of controversy. I love that this trip will be Kate‘s first visit ever to the US. I’m looking forward to following the Duke and Duchess’s tour of North America, which will begin this afternoon. Should be a fun couple of weeks ;D

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