This visit takes place in the context of eighty years of liberation since the Second World War. The trip also highlights the strong relationship between the Netherlands and Canada. Princess Margriet was born in Canada during the Second World War.

On Friday, May 9, Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet and Professor van Vollenhoven will meet with the Mayor of Ottawa, His Worship Mark Sutcliffe, and Ottawa City Council. They will then visit a high school where they will speak with Canadian students and their teacher who contributed to the Faces to Graves project, which tells the stories of Canadian soldiers buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, the Netherlands. In the evening, a reception will be held with guests from the Dutch community in Ottawa and Canadians with a special connection to the Netherlands.

On Saturday May 10, Princess Margriet will open the Canadian Tulip Festival, an annual event in which tulips are displayed throughout the city as a tribute to Canada’s role in the liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War. Here the Princess will give a short speech. She and the Professor will be given a tour of various parts of the festival. In the afternoon, they will lay a wreath at the National War Memorial.

On the evening of Sunday, May 11, the couple will visit an exhibition at the War Museum dedicated to eighty years of freedom. Afterward, Princess Margriet and Professor Van Vollenhoven will attend a performance by the Royal Netherlands Air Force Orchestra featuring singer Shirma Rouse. Together, they will present the program "It’s All About Freedom", which brings together stories of freedom, resistance, and liberation.

After visiting The Ottawa Hospital, they will fly to Toronto on Monday, May 12, where they will be welcomed at the Small Arms Inspection Building, a community center in Mississauga. Here, Princess Margriet will open the exhibition "80 Faces of Freedom", which honors Canada’s role in the liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War. The exhibition features modern art installations and portrait photography by Dutch-Canadian photographer Jason van Bruggen, illustrating the stories behind the war. The initiative also aims to engage young people in commemorating liberation by encouraging dialogue about what it means to defend freedom. Princess Margriet will deliver a short speech here.

On Tuesday, May 13, the visit concludes with a meeting with Second World War veterans and students from a local high school who interviewed the veterans and published their stories on a dedicated website.

*This text is a translation. Please see this link for the original release: Prinses Margriet en prof. mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven brengen officieel bezoek aan Canada | Nieuwsbericht | Het Koninklijk Huis.

**For more information and media inquiries, please contact Melissa Rumble at melissa.rumble@minbuza.nl.