Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet, Princess of the Netherlands pays official Civic Call to the City of Ottawa

Today, May 8, Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet and Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven paid an official Civic Call to the City of Ottawa at the invitation of Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. 

The visit included a ceremonial welcome, a private meeting between the Mayor and Her Royal Highness and the signing of the official City of Ottawa guestbook.

Princess Margriet has a deep connection to the City of Ottawa, having been born at the Ottawa Civic Hospital on January 19, 1943, while the Dutch Royal Family was living here in exile during the Second World War.

Following the liberation of the Netherlands by Allied troops in 1945, the Dutch Royal Family returned home. In recognition of the significant role Canadian soldiers played in the liberation of the Netherlands, Princess Margriet’s mother, Queen Juliana, gifted Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs. This gift also acknowledged Canada’s role in sheltering her family during the war. These bulbs later inspired the creation of the Canadian Tulip Festival.

More than seventy years later, the tulip remains an enduring symbol of the lasting friendship between Canada and the Netherlands as well as the official flower of the City of Ottawa. That friendship is celebrated every year by the Dutch royal family’s continued gift of tulip bulbs to Canada, a tradition commemorated by the Canadian Tulip Festival.

It is especially meaningful to welcome Princess Margriet back to Ottawa during Ottawa’s 200th anniversary.

“Some relationships between nations are defined by treaties. The enduring friendship between Canada and the Netherlands was forged through courage, commitment and sacrifice. I'm very proud that in a time of war, Ottawa provided shelter to Her Royal Highness and her family. In return, we received a symbol of hope that still blooms today. It is an incredible honour to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet back to Ottawa, the city where this extraordinary story began.”

Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor of Ottawa