State Visit by King and Queen of the Belgians
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, was pleased to announce that Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians would undertake a State visit to Canada from March 11 to 17, 2018.
Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians made their official arrival to Rideau Hall by landau. Canada was last visited by a Belgian monarch in 1977, when Their Majesties King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola undertook their State visit.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-002
Their Majesties were welcomed by the Governor General, and the Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-006
Their Majesties then met with members of the Belgian community who attended the official welcoming ceremony.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-047
His Majesty then inspected the Guard of Honour of members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-014
During the ceremony, His Majesty received military honours.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-016
Her Excellency addressed Their Majesties and members of the Belgian delegation on the important ties that unite our two countries.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-030
His Majesty also delivered remarks.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-033
Their Majesties' morning visit to Rideau Hall ended with the planting of a sugar maple, symbolizing the friendship between our two countries and underlining the fact that the visittook taking place as spring approaches, which is when the sap, later to be transformed into maple syrup, starts to flow.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-059
Following the ceremony, the Governor General held a meeting with Their Majesties and members of the Belgian and Canadian delegations to discuss Canada-Belgium relations.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall GG05-2018-0067-050
In the evening, the Governor General hosted a State dinner at Rideau Hall in honour of Their Majesties' visit to Canada.
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 12:00 MCpl Vincent Carbonneau, Rideau Hall GG02-2018-0067-028