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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrate Canada Day

1st July 2011

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrated Canada's national birthday today in the National Capital Region.

Canada Day - the country's national day and birthday - is a holiday and significant day of celebration for all Canadians.

Today, as part of the celebrations The Duke and Duchess sent a joint message to the Canadian Armed Forces thanking them for their "commitment and contribution".

Her Royal Highness wore red and white, the colours of the Canadian flag, as did many others celebrating the day. Her Royal Highness's hat featured a maple leaf, and she wore The Queen's Maple Leaf brooch, lent to her by Her Majesty The Queen for the occasion.

It is a diamond brooch in the form of a small maple leaf - the national emblem of Canada.

It was first worn by The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, on her first visit to Canada in 1951 and again last year on Canada Day in Ottawa.

The royal couple began their historic tour of the Commonwealth country yesterday and received a rapturous welcome from thousands of people who flocked to the capital for their arrival.

Today's engagements were about honouring Canada during its national celebrations and The Duke and Duchess were guests of at the citizenship ceremony staged in the Canadian Museum of Civilisation in Gatineau near Ottawa.

As they walked into the building, they were serenaded by a tune penned by a Canadian piper to remind them of their days at university.

When the royal couple came down an escalator into the attraction's great hall for the event, Pipe Major Bethany Bisaillion's great highland bagpipe wheezed into life as she began her piece - St. Andrews Courtship.

The couple met at St Andrews University in Scotland.

Ms Bisaillion, 44, from the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band, who has played for The Queen, said after the performance: "It's a lively march in honour of their time at university - it's uplifting and fun."

The Duke and Duchess were joined by Governor General David Johnston and his wife Sharon, who was also dressed in the national colours.

The four sat on stage as 25 new citizens, surrounded by their families and friends, swore allegiance to The Queen and her "heirs and successors".

As they were called forward, The Duke gave the new Canadians a large national flag while The Duchess presented them with a small handheld one.

After the ceremony, the couple posed with the group and The Duke made them laugh when, told by an official he was standing on the wrong step, he turned to those behind him and said "sorry".

Siddhartha Kumar, 33, an Indian-born social worker who became a Canadian today, described his excitement at meeting the couple.

Mr Kumar, who changed his nationality after marrying a Canadian, said: "If you asked me to sum up this day, becoming Canadian is a big deal, becoming Canadian on 1st July is a big deal and to have The Duke and Duchess here is quite a moment."

The royal couple went on to greet well-wishers before leaving, and met crowds who had been waiting patiently for them.

The Duke posed for a picture for one group of women and wished others "Happy Canada Day," while The Duchess was given several bouquets of flowers by members of the crowds.

The Duke and Duchess then joined the "Noon Show" - the main ceremonial moment of the tour - where the nation comes together on Parliament Hill for a music and pageantry event in the capital.

As part of the celebrations there was a 21-gun salute, the playing of national anthems, a flypast by the Snowbirds - a military aircraft display team - and a link-up with Canadian Forces in Kandahar, Southern Afghanistan.

During the event The Duke made a short speech as did the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper.

The royal couple joined the Evening Show, where rock and pop bands entertained the crowds before attending a private diplomatic reception in the city where they watched a firework finale marking the national day.