Quaids claim corruption keeping them in Canada (AP)

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, AP Entertainment Writer Anthony Mccartney, Ap Entertainment Writer – Sun Jul 24, 2:36 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – Randy Quaid says he would like to return to the United States one day, but he and his wife still fear they are being persecuted by California prosecutors and tabloid media.

Although U.S. officials recently refused to seek extradition of the actor and his wife from Canada to face felony vandalism charges in Santa Barbara, Calif., authorities in the coastal town say they'll still have the couple arrested if they return to the states.

The Quaids, who have missed several court appearances in the case, claim they are the victims of corrupt forces and are demanding an investigation.

"I feel like we've been driven out of the country and that the door's been slammed behind us," Quaid told The Associated Press in a phone interview from British Columbia on Friday. "And for what, these phony little trespassing, vandalism charges? Santa Barbara can sleep better tonight knowing the Quaids are out of their hair."

The couple's current trouble began in September 2010, when they were arrested for causing more than $5,000 damage at a hillside home they were renting.

It was the second bout of trouble for the couple in Santa Barbara. Months earlier the pair resolved a case in which they also missed several court appearances related to charges they defrauded an innkeeper; the case against the actor was dropped, but his wife was placed on probation after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor.

After the new arrest, they say they waited weeks to see if they would be charged. On Oct. 16, two days before they were charged — when a prosecutor says they had been notified to appear — the Quaids traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Days later, they were arrested by Canadian police because of the California case. Quaid sought asylum, claiming he was being hunted by "Hollywood star-whackers" who had killed his friends David Carradine and Heath Ledger.

Several more times, a judge in Santa Barbara ordered the couple to appear, increasing the couple's bail each time they didn't show. By then Evi Quaid had learned her father was a Canadian citizen and she would be allowed to stay. Her husband, an Oscar-nominated actor who has appeared in films as varied as the "Vacation" franchise, "Independence Day" and "Brokeback Mountain, was allowed to stay, too.

The Quaids' behavior and statements have led many to question their sanity. Randy Quaid says he's not bothered by that, but wants to be recognized for his acting again.

"What I wish more than anything is that I could start getting press about my work as an actor," he said in the Friday interview. "That is what I do. I'm not a criminal."

The Quaids claim they had no idea they had to be in court Oct. 18. "We kept our eye on the media, waiting for something to happen," Randy Quaid said. "We never even contacted an attorney — we hadn't been charged."

They allege Santa Barbara Senior District Attorney Lee Carter falsely accused them of fleeing the country to evade prosecution and lying by saying they fled with active warrants.

Carter denied the allegation, and said the Quaids knew they had to be in court on the 18th, regardless of whether they'd been charged or not. "They bailed out and promised their bail bondsman that they would be in court on the 18th," he said.

Carter also denied the Quaids' accusations that there is a vendetta in Santa Barbara against them. "They're being treated like anyone else who commits a crime in our jurisdiction," he said. "They get prosecuted."

They also remain subject to arrest in the United States; fugitive warrants issued by a Santa Barbara judge remain active.

"They're fraudulent warrants as far as we're concerned," Evi Quaid said. "Randy Quaid is no more a fugitive from America than Uncle Sam is. I mean, he's the star of `Independence Day.'"

The Quaids argue they may still own the home where they were arrested, that there are legitimate questions about whether the actor's signature on documents transferring the house is a forgery.

Evi Quaid also says they hadn't caused any of the damage attributed to them by authorities, but rather had tried to clean up the house in the hopes that it might still be theirs. "All I did was garden," she said.

Despite their current woes, the Quaids say their problems go back much further; they suspect that personal information has been stolen and their phones have been hacked, possibly by reporters.

A 2008 story in the New York Post detailed complaints against the couple over their behavior on the set of a Broadway-bound play being rehearsed in Seattle. The show imploded, the story claimed, due to bizarre behavior by the actor, including lewd comments and hitting a castmate in the head. The end result was an $81,000 fine by the Actors' Equity Association and a lifetime ban from the group.

Drawing parallels with the phone hacking scandal that has engulfed British papers owned by Post parent News Corp., Randy Quaid claims he had discussed many details that were included in the Post piece with his attorney on a cell phone before boarding a flight in New York.

As the plane was about to leave, the Quaids said Post columnist Michael Riedel contacted him about the allegations, which the Quaids believe could have only been revealed if someone had hacked their phone.

The paper rejected the allegation in a statement released to the AP late Friday. "Michael Riedel categorically denies this claim," the paper said in a statement, stating that Quaid has provided no proof he was hacked.

The Quaids say they hope other stars will speak out and that inquiries by U.S. authorities will expose dirty tabloid tactics similar to those surfacing in the U.K. "At least they're outraged in England," Evi Quaid said. "I hope that it crosses to New York and people get angry."

___

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/celebritydocket

Yahoo! News

Britain's princess Kate wows Canada (AFP)

CHARLOTTETOWN, Canada (AFP) – With her ready, warm smile and slender, elegant figure, Catherine has made a dazzling public debut as a royal seducing Canadian crowds on her first official visit with Prince William.

But royal watchers sense a bit of tension too.

From the Duchess of Cambridge's arrival in the capital Ottawa to Charlottetown on the Atlantic Coast, chants of "We love you Kate" seem louder than for the prince as the newlyweds step onto the international stage.

Full of pomp and ceremony, the trip comes just two months after a radiant Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in the wedding of the year, watched by two billion people worldwide.

Part of her attraction may be the lure of the Cinderella story: William was born to ascend to the British throne, but Kate's rise from commoner to future queen is perhaps proof that fairytales can come true.

"We've come to see her," said Marley MacCuaig, the five-year-old girl who was lucky enough to present the duchess with a bouquet of flowers during a walkabout in Quebec City, and told her idol, "I want to be a princess."

The same scenes have played out at every stop on the nine-day royal tour.

According to experts, or "royal watchers," Catherine has remained cool, showing no outward signs of nerves despite the cauldron-like atmosphere of public walkabouts.

Only once did the duchess briefly appear nervous as she watched her husband take the controls of a military helicopter to carry out emergency water landing drills on a Prince Edward Island lake.

And after smiling broadly and exchanging polite banter as she shook hands with an enthusiastic crowd for longer than intended at Canada's War Memorial in Ottawa, the duchess slipped into a car and rested her head on William's shoulder.

"It was a gesture that said: 'well, we got through that one,'" said the British newspaper The Times.

The lasting impression is a mixture of spontaneity and professionalism in the couple's gestures, as well as tiny moments of tenderness such as William's reassuring glances or when he stroked his wife's back as she spoke with gravely ill children at a Montreal hospital cancer unit.

"The underlying message is that none of this is easy. It is not easy coping with the constant intrusion of the media, not easy trying to come up with endless small talk for the hundreds of strangers she meets every day, not easy always being on show with a happy smile and an easy manner," opined Times correspondent Valentine Low.

In accordance with Buckingham Palace's protocol, the duchess will not make any public statements during this trip. In private moments, she also focuses on easy topics with the crowds of well-wishers.

A Huron chief welcomed her to Quebec City as the couple disembarked from a navy frigate and Catherine pressed him about the type of feathers used to make his headdress -- wild turkey feathers.

Her warm interest left him convinced that she would like to visit his village sometime soon in the future.

She has also taken care with her wardrobe, exhibiting the same easy fashion sense and grace with which she has already made a mark.

Her outfits have been perfectly matched to the events: Canadian colors red and white for a celebration of Canada's national holiday, a navy blue vest for a visit to a Coast Guard ship.

The elegant Catherine, standing tall in her stylish high heels, and Prince William stand out from afar despite their entourage and crowds of well-wishers.

And the visit has gone a long way toward boosting the image of Britain's future king and queen.

Yahoo! News

Prince William performs water landings in Canada (AP)

DALVAY BY-THE-SEA, Prince Edward Island – Prince William enjoyed showing off his military helicopter training with his first-ever water landing Monday to the delight of anxious crowds in Canada, where he and his wife, Kate, have been on their first official overseas trip since their wedding.

The Duke of Cambridge climbed into the cockpit of a Sea King helicopter for the military training exercise at Dalvay by-the-Sea, a scenic resort along Prince Edward Island's north shore. Prince William, a Royal Air Force rescue helicopter pilot, requested the simulated emergency landing procedure.

Dressed in an olive flight suit and helmet, the prince — who is second in line to the throne — settled the large helicopter on the water several times over the course of an hour.

From the water, William piloted several takeoffs and hovered in the air before executing dual- and single-engine landings before taxiing around as Kate watched from the ground.

"He was looking for his wife on the shoreline at one point," said Col. Sam Michaud, 42, who trained William. "She was waving back about 100 feet away."

Michaud said William is now fully trained. He said William remarked that the "boys back at his squadron would be absolutely jealous."

Canada is the only country that trains its Sea King helicopter pilots to do a controlled landing on water if there's an emergency. The exercise William performed Monday is known as waterbirding, and if the number of times he tried it was any indication, the prince was enjoying the technique. The Sea King, which William flies back in the U.K, has the ability to land on water because of its amphibious hull.

Maj. Pat MacNamara called him a star pilot.

"I would suggest he was having quite a bit of fun," MacNamara said. "He said it was one of the highlights of his trip."

Prince Edward Island resident Linda Patton, 60, said she was nervous watching the prince fly.

"It was thrilling to watch and a little nerve-racking I must admit, especially the ones he was hovering and came straight down" Patton said.

The duke will take the landing technique back home with him to use in his job, said royal press secretary Miguel Head.

"The Duke of Cambridge is, first and foremost, a search-and-rescue pilot — that's his job and it's a job he's very proud to do," said Head. "When (William) took the decision to come to Canada, one of the things he actually asked to do was to do this."

The royal pair then got to flex their muscles by paddling in two dragon boats to race against each other. Kate, dressed in black sportswear, got to demonstrate her athletic prowess while on the water by taking the stern of her boat. She trained as part of a dragon boat crew in 2007, and the rivalry with William appeared to be genuine.

William gripped his paddle to execute a strong stroke, while Kate moved from the stern to paddle in her boat. The prince's boat won the short race by a hair and William exited the boat to give Kate a warm consolation hug. Kate playfully gave William a shove, as if to push him in the water.

"There's no chivalry in sport," William jokingly told Kate as he was presented with a bottle of champagne for winning the race.

"Sadly, we lost," she said, laughing, to Christine Dapart, one of the spectators in the crowd as the royal couple made their way to a pavilion where regional performers were on hand to demonstrate Celtic and Acadian dance and song.

Later, the royal couple met an actress who plays the fictional star of "Anne of Green Gables," the classic Canadian novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery for which Prince Edward Island is famed. Actress Tess Benger, 23, who performs as Anne in a play, gave Kate a copy of the book. Kate, a fan of the novel and its sequels, told her she would read it again.

In a tent, the couple sampled the island's food. William put his hands on his stomach and joked about eating too much on the trip. He passed on the oyster tasting, saying to Kate "this is where you take over."

They tasted Island beef with sweet onion marmalade, lobster and potato chowder, pork and beef belly and strawberry shortcake. The couple later observed a search and rescue operation.

The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, as they are officially known, were on the fifth of a nine-day trip to Canada, part of their first official overseas trip since their April 29 wedding.

They were welcomed to their third Canadian province Monday with cheering, waving crowds excited to catch a glimpse of royalty at Province House. The site is the home of Prince Edward Island's legislature and of a historic meeting 146 years ago that paved the way for Canada's eventual unification and independence.

On Monday morning, Kate sported a cream dress by Sarah Burton for the British fashion house of Alexander McQueen, who designed her royal wedding gown. William wore his traditional dark suit and red tie. Kate later wore dark skinny jeans and a navy-belted trenchcoat with a bright red scarf from Burton's wardrobe at Dalvay by-the-Sea.

For the third time during the trip, William spoke in French and English to address the crowds.

"We have both so looked forward to this day, and discovering more about your beautiful island," he said.

The royal pair delighted the several thousand people gathered at the site by walking over to shake hands and stop for a quick chat, while some handed them flowers, including the east coast Canadian flower, Lupins, and hand-held Canadian flags, while snapping photos.

The smiling couple hopped into a landau led by Canadian Mounties to take them to Confederation Landing for another walkabout before heading to the resort at Dalvay by-the-Sea.

The royal pair left Canada's smallest province late Monday afternoon. They ended the day by flying to Yellowknife, the capital of the sparsely-populated Northwest Territories, where several hundred people greeted them. They leave Canada for a three-day trip to California on July 8.

___

Associated Press Writer Charmaine Noronha in Toronto contributed to this report.

Yahoo! News

Prince William performs water landings in Canada (AP)

DALVAY BY-THE-SEA, Prince Edward Island – Prince William enjoyed showing off his military helicopter training with his first-ever water landing Monday to the delight of anxious crowds in Canada, where he and his wife, Kate, have been on their first official overseas trip since their wedding.

The Duke of Cambridge climbed into the cockpit of a Sea King helicopter for the military training exercise at Dalvay by-the-Sea, a scenic resort along Prince Edward Island's north shore. Prince William, a Royal Air Force rescue helicopter pilot, requested the simulated emergency landing procedure.

Dressed in an olive flight suit and helmet, the prince settled the large helicopter on the water several times over the course of an hour.

From the water, William piloted several takeoffs and hovered in the air before executing dual- and single-engine landings before taxiing around as Kate watched from the ground.

"He was looking for his wife on the shoreline at one point," said Col. Sam Michaud, 42, who trained William. "She was waving back about 100 feet away."

Michaud said William is now fully trained. He said William remarked that the "boys back at his squadron would be absolutely jealous."

Canada is the only country that trains its Sea King helicopter pilots to do a controlled landing on water if there's an emergency. The exercise William performed Monday is known as waterbirding, and if the number of times he tried it was any indication, the prince was enjoying the technique. The Sea King, which William flies back in the U.K, has the ability to land on water because of its amphibious hull.

Maj. Pat MacNamara called him a star pilot.

"I would suggest he was having quite a bit of fun," MacNamara said. "He said it was one of the highlights of his trip."

Prince Edward Island resident Linda Patton, 60, said she was nervous watching the prince fly.

"It was thrilling to watch and a little nerve-racking I must admit, especially the ones he was hovering and came straight down" Patton said.

The royal pair then got to flex their muscles by paddling in two dragon boats to race against each other. Kate, dressed in black sportswear, got to demonstrate her athletic prowess while on the water by taking the stern of her boat. She trained as part of a dragon boat crew in 2007, and the rivalry with William appeared to be genuine.

William gripped his paddle to execute a strong stroke, while Kate moved from the stern to paddle in her boat. The prince's boat won the short race by a hair and William exited the boat to give Kate a warm consolation hug. Kate laughed and tried to push William in the water.

Later, the royal couple met an actress who plays the fictional star of Anne of Green Gables, the classic Canadian novel for which Prince Edward Island is famed. Actress Tess Benger, 23, who performs as Anne in a play, gave Kate a copy of the book. Kate, a fan of the novel, told her she would read it again.

In a tent, the couple sampled the island's food. William put his hands on his stomach and joked about eating too much on the trip. He passed on the oyster tasting, saying to Kate "this is where you take over."

They tasted Island beef with sweet onion marmalade, lobster and potato chowder, pork and beef belly and strawberry shortcake. The couple later observed a search and rescue operation.

The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, as they are officially known, were on the fifth of a nine-day trip to Canada, part of their first official overseas trip since their April 29 wedding.

They were welcomed to their third Canadian province Monday with cheering, waving crowds excited to catch a glimpse of royalty at Province House. The site is the home of Prince Edward Island's legislature and of a historic meeting 146 years ago that paved the way for Canada's eventual unification and independence.

On Monday morning, Kate sported a cream dress by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, who designed the wedding gown she wore. William wore his traditional dark suit and red tie. Kate later wore dark skinny jeans and a navy-belted trenchcoat with a bright red scarf from Burton's wardrobe at Dalvay-by-the-Sea.

For the third time during the trip, William spoke in French and English to address the crowds.

"We have both so looked forward to this day, and discovering more about your beautiful island," he said.

The royal pair delighted the several thousand people gathered at the site by walking over to shake hands and stop for a quick chat, while some handed them flowers, including the east coast Canadian flower, Lupins, and hand-held Canadian flags, while snapping photos.

The smiling couple hopped into a landau led by Canadian Mounties to take them to Confederation Landing for another walkabout before heading to the resort at Dalvay by-the-Sea.

The royal pair will leave Canada's smallest province late Monday afternoon for Yellowknife, capital of the sparsely-populated Northwest Territories. They leave for a three-day trip to California on July 8.

___

Associated Press Writer Charmaine Noronha in Toronto contributed to this report.

Yahoo! News

Royals tour Canada, Monaco gets a new princess (AP)

Friday was a royal watcher's bonanza, with wedding vows, an official visit — and poignant reminders of princesses past.

Monaco's Prince Albert II took the plunge with Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock of South Africa, marrying her in a civil ceremony ahead of a religious service Saturday. His father, Prince Rainier III, wed Hollywood actress Grace Kelly in the tiny country 55 years ago.

British royal newlyweds Prince William and Kate — the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — won raucous cheers from an estimated 300,000 people while touring Ottawa on Canada's national holiday. It was their first official visit abroad after their widely watched wedding in April.

And admirers of the late Princess Diana gathered at the gates of Kensington Palace in London to leave tributes to her and share their memories on what would have been the 50th birthday of "the people's princess."

Kathy Martin of Australia who left a tribute at the gates said both Grace and Diana were icons who died in car accidents at a young age — Grace in 1982 and Diana in 1997.

"They'll be remembered as princesses — beautiful, radiant princesses," Martin said.

Diana also was on the minds of some Canadians in the crowd greeting her son, William, and his wife.

"Happy Birthday Lady Di. Canadians love you," read one sign held up during the Canada Day celebrations.

The red-and-white-clad crowd chanted "Will and Kate" frequently during their appearance on Parliament Hill to mark Canada's 144th birthday on the second day of the royal visit.

Kate was similarly attired in Canada's colors, wearing a cream dress by the London designer Reiss, complete with a maple leaf brooch, and a brilliant red hat topped with a maple leaf. Queen Elizabeth II loaned the brooch to the duchess for the tour; the queen wore it in 1951 as a princess on her first visit to Canada.

William, who wore a blue suit and a red tie, thrilled the crowd as he spoke in English and French for the second day in a row and drew loud cheers when he referred to his grandmother as "the queen of Canada."

He also reminded the crowd how Kate's grandfather "held Canada dear to his heart" after training in the province of Alberta as a young pilot in World War II.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomed the royal couple as "the world's most famous newlyweds."

Their other stops in Canada include Quebec City and Calgary before traveling to Los Angeles on July 8.

In sun-splashed Monaco, residents of the principality cheered as Prince Albert and his new bride appeared at a palace window, waved and kissed shyly after exchanging vows in the civil ceremony.

Albert's sisters — Princess Stephanie and Princess Caroline — were among an audience of several dozen inside the throne room, the red silk-walled hall where Grace and Rainier once took their vows. Rainier died in 2005.

Wittstock wore a silken blue jacket with ankle-length palazzo pants, an outfit press handlers said was made by fashion house Chanel, while Albert wore a sober dark suit and white tie.

Saturday's Roman Catholic ceremony will also take place in the palace, followed by a gala dinner by famed chef Alain Ducasse. The guest list included the kings of Spain, Sweden, Lesotho and Belgium; the presidents of France, Iceland, Ireland, Lebanon, Malta, Germany and Hungary; opera singers, models and race car drivers.

Wittstock swam for South Africa at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, while Albert has been an International Olympic Committee member since 1985 and competed in five Winter Olympics as part of Monaco's bobsled team. They met at a 2000 swimming competition in Monaco.

Albert, 53, acknowledged having fathered two children out of wedlock — a now-teenage daughter with a California woman and a son with a flight attendant of Togolese origin.

Before the wedding, the 33-year-old Wittstock said she wanted children of her own.

"I love children and have always wanted to have children of my own," she said on BFM television, sitting next to Albert with a close-lipped, tense smile. "We'll see in the next couple of months or years."

___

Associated Press Writers Jenny Barchfield in Monaco; Rob Gillies in Ottawa, Ontario; Charmaine Noronha in Toronto, and Matt Dunham in London contributed to this story.

Yahoo! News

William and Kate mark Canada Day with fireworks (AFP)

OTTAWA (AFP) – Prince William and his bride Catherine celebrated Canada Day with fireworks on the couple's first official international outing as jubilant Canadians thronged to catch a glimpse of British royalty.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in the afternoon in a glossy black state landau to join nearly one third of the capital city's population of 900,000 -- cheering "Will and Kate" on the parliament lawn.

"We love you Kate," one section screamed when she stepped out of the carriage.

The crowd decked out in red and white, Canada's national colors, ballooned to half a million by nightfall when fireworks lit up the sky.

Wearing a purple Issa Jersey dress, the princess and her prince, who had by then thrown off his necktie, were dazzled with pyrotechniques framed by some of finest Gothic Revival architecture of the British Empire on Parliament Hill.

"Catherine and I are thrilled and excited by the prospect of the next eight days," William said. "It will be an adventure that we will never forget."

Thousands had lined Ottawa's Wellington Street at dawn to secure a view of the royal couple when they made their way to the city's government precinct for musical performances by Canadian bands Delhi 2 Dublin and Great Big Sea, as well as Pierre Lapointe and Sam Roberts, among others.

Far more Canada Day revelers showed up than usual, indeed "a record" and maybe "triple" the number that came last year for Queen ElizabethI's visit, said Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"The excitement is palpable here," he said.

Under a blistering sun, a few fans collapsed and were carried off by medics moments before the royals' arrival on Parliament Hill.

Those who coped were treated to a fly-past of fighter jets, a changing of the military guard decked in red tunics and towering bear fur hats, as well as Canada's national anthem sung by a 10-year-old girl from Winnipeg who shot to fame performing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" on a video that went viral online.

William said his new bride learned about Canada from her grandfather, who died last year, "but who held this country dear to his heart for he trained in Alberta as a young pilot during the Second World War."

The prince, second in line to the throne, also conveyed his grandmother's "warmest good wishes."

Queen Elizabeth, he said, has taken a "great interest" in the couple's trip to Canada and will be "following our progress as it unfolds."

Packed with pomp and pageantry, the North American tour marks the couple's first foreign trip as newlyweds, coming just two months after a radiant Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in a fairytale royal wedding watched by an estimated two billion people worldwide.

"Welcome, congratulations and bon voyage," Harper wished them, "the world's most famous newlyweds" at the start of their cross-Canada tour.

Over the coming week, William and Kate are to take a cooking class in Montreal, play aboriginal sports in the far north and cap it all off with a rodeo in Calgary.

Their tour of Canada, however, also coincides with a grim milestone: Friday would have been the 50th birthday of Princess Diana, Prince William's mother, who was mobbed by fans herself when she visited Canada in 1983.

Whereas Prince Charles often seemed annoyed at being upstaged by his wife, William appeared to rejoice at the Canadian public's attention to his new bride, visibly brimming with pride as they shared a few glances whenever enthusiastic cheers erupted for her, and once blushing over their wild welcome.

Kate represents the future of the monarchy, some said.

"It's true that she is very beautiful," added retiree Hugh Henderson.

As gun smoke from a 21-cannon salute billowed across the sky, William gave a special nod to Canadian military wrapping up its combat mission in Afghanistan this month.

He also appeared to take a special interest in the pioneer garb of one of the Canada Day performers, running his fingers down the man's lapel as they chatted before an afternoon break.

Earlier, Kate showed up with her husband for a citizenship ceremony at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in a stunning recycled white dress by Reiss worn for her engagement photos in December and a red maple leaf fascinator.

She and William presented each of 25 immigrants with a Canadian flag as they took an oath pledging allegiance to Queen Elizabeth.

Some 150,000 newcomers to the country are welcomed into the Canadian family at 1,700 similar ceremonies each year.

These 25 took the oath "for the first time in the history of Canadian citizenship in the presence of one of (the queen's) heirs who we hope will in the fullness of time become one of her successors as the king of Canada," said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

Support for the monarchy hovers above 50 percent in Canada and has risen from last year when the queen visited, although there is still a vocal anti-monarchist minority planning to protest in Quebec City on Sunday.

Yahoo! News

Prince William and Princess Catherine arrive in Canada (AFP)

OTTAWA (AFP) – Britain's Prince William and new bride Princess Catherine arrived in the Canadian capital on Thursday to begin their first official foreign trip as a couple, AFP journalists saw.

Thousands desperate to glimpse the pair lined the streets of Ottawa ahead of their first scheduled event, a wreath-laying ceremony at a World War I memorial at 1835 GMT.

During a nine-day tour packed with pomp and pageantry they will also celebrate Canada's national holiday and take in lighter events such as a cooking class, aboriginal sports and a rodeo.

Yahoo! News

William, Kate off to Canada, US in first tour (AP)

OTTAWA, Ontario – Prince William and Kate arrive in Canada on Thursday for their first official overseas trip since their wedding, in a visit that is expected to draw record-numbers of star-struck crowds and well-wishers hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa, open the Calgary Stampede and go canoeing in the Northwest Territories during their nine day-tour of their future realm before taking off to Los Angeles.

"The response we've gotten is overwhelming," Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore told The Associated Press. "We're already now having to adjust some of our plans from moving the couple in and around the capital here, closing off some streets and moving people around."

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 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.

But the couple won't be welcomed by all. Some anti-royal protests are expected in the French-speaking province of Quebec, with small groups planning protests in Quebec City and Montreal.

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.

Decades have passed since Canadians abandoned the Union Jack and replaced "God Save the Queen" with "O Canada." Ordinarily, most Canadians are indifferent to the monarchy. However the 85-year-old Queen Elizabeth II — William's grandmother — remains Canada's titular head of state, is portrayed on its coins and stamps and has visited 22 times as queen.

"For a new generation of Canadians it's a new introduction for themselves into the monarchy," Moore said.

This royal couple is expected to draw thousands and more than 1,300 journalists are accredited. William got a reception fit for a rock star the last time he visited Canada as a 15-year-old in 1998. He wowed teenage girls who wolf-whistled him when he visited Vancouver, British Columbia, with his father Prince Charles. William looked aghast at the commotion back then. That trip was the first official foreign visit for him since the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

William will be celebrating Canada's birthday on Friday, the same day his mother would have turned 50.

He is due to say a few words at a number of stops. Kate is not scheduled to speak.

The couple will travel from the sub-Arctic to oil-rich Calgary, Alberta, from busy Montreal to bucolic Prince Edward Island of "Anne of Green Gables" fame. They'll sit around a campfire with young people, dress casual for the Calgary rodeo, join a cookout in Quebec City and hand out flags to newly-minted Canadians at a citizenship ceremony.

Harper is the most pro-monarchy Canadian leader since the 1950s, and his ambition is to foster a national identity that is more conservative and more aware of its historical roots.

Yahoo! News

William, Kate off to Canada, US in first tour (AP)

OTTAWA, Ontario – Prince William and Kate arrive in Canada on Thursday for their first official overseas trip since their wedding, in a visit that is expected to draw record-numbers of star-struck crowds and well-wishers hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa, open the Calgary Stampede and go canoeing in the Northwest Territories during their nine day-tour of their future realm before taking off to Los Angeles.

"The response we've gotten is overwhelming," Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore told The Associated Press. "We're already now having to adjust some of our plans from moving the couple in and around the capital here, closing off some streets and moving people around."

The royal couple left London's Heathrow Airport on a Royal Canadian Air Force plane Thursday morning. The duchess wore a navy blue knee-length dress by the French designer Roland Mouret paired with a navy blazer by Toronto-based Smythe les Vestes. William wore his customary dark blue suit with a red tie.

Canada's prime minister has 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 young prince 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.

But the couple won't be welcomed by all. Some anti-royal protests are expected in the French-speaking province of Quebec, with small groups planning protests in Quebec City and Montreal.

Canadian officials have estimated the royal visit will cost the Canadian government about US$1.55 million dollars (CA$1.5 million dollars), not including security.

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.

Decades have passed since Canadians abandoned the Union Jack and replaced "God Save the Queen" with "O Canada." Ordinarily, most Canadians are indifferent to the monarchy. However the 85-year-old Queen Elizabeth II — William's grandmother — remains Canada's titular head of state, is portrayed on its coins and stamps and has visited 22 times as queen.

"For a new generation of Canadians it's a new introduction for themselves into the monarchy," Moore said.

Sheri Gray, 50, of Manitouwadge, Ontario said her husband and her altered their travel plans so they could take in the royal visit. They arrived early Thursday morning to set up lawn chairs outside Ottawa's National War Memorial, where William and Kate are due to lay a wreath after arriving from the airport.

"My grandma was a big royal family supporter. I can't wait to see Will and Kate," Gray said. "I really liked Diana. It will be really nice to see her son and his new wife."

Her husband David called it a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"It's the next generation. It's like a breath of fresh air for them after the past they've had with the previous ones," he said.

William and Kate will do a walkabout at the memorial before heading to a reception where William and Harper are scheduled to speak. A barbecue for young people follows that.

This royal couple is expected to draw thousands and more than 1,300 journalists are accredited. William got a reception fit for a rock star the last time he visited Canada as a 15-year-old in 1998. He wowed teenage girls who wolf-whistled him when he visited Vancouver, British Columbia, with his father Prince Charles. William looked aghast at the commotion back then. That trip was the first official foreign visit for him since the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

William will be celebrating Canada's birthday on Friday, the same day his mother would have turned 50.

He is due to say a few words at a number of stops. Kate is not scheduled to speak.

The couple will travel from the sub-Arctic to oil-rich Calgary, Alberta, from busy Montreal to bucolic Prince Edward Island of "Anne of Green Gables" fame. They'll sit around a campfire with young people, dress casual for the Calgary rodeo, join a cookout in Quebec City and hand out flags to newly-minted Canadians at a citizenship ceremony.

Harper is the most pro-monarchy Canadian leader since the 1950s, and his ambition is to foster a national identity that is more conservative and more aware of its historical roots.

Yahoo! News

Canada to greet William, Kate with pomp, protests (AFP)

OTTAWA (AFP) – Prince William and new bride Princess Catherine make their international debut Thursday as Britain's royal golden couple, hoping star power will win skeptical Canadians over to the monarchy.

Thousands desperate to glimpse the pair on their first official overseas trip lined the streets of Ottawa ahead of a wreath-laying ceremony at a World War I memorial scheduled for 1835 GMT, shortly after their expected arrival.

While Prince William has plenty of experience of royal duties, his wife, whom he met while studying at Scotland's Saint Andrews University, is still a rookie in the public eye.

At the start of the nine-day tour of the key British Commonwealth nation, Princess Catherine will have an immediate chance to show she has learnt the ropes when she meets and greets the gathering throng after the ceremony.

Prince William's great-grandparents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth unveiled the memorial in 1939 and established a new tradition with the first royal walkabout, stopping to chat with some in the 100,000-strong crowd.

Full of pomp and ceremony, the trip comes just two months after a radiant Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in the wedding-of-the-year, watched by an estimated two billion people worldwide.

The 29-year-old newlyweds flew earlier out of London's Heathrow airport in the morning on a Royal Canadian Air Force jet.

Princess Catherine's outfit featured Canadian and French labels in a move to please her hosts, including those in the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec, where part of the visit will take place.

She wore a navy blue knee-length Manon dress by French designer Roland Mouret with a navy blazer by Toronto-based Smythe les Vestes, as well as navy Manolo Blahnik Calogera court shoes.

Prince William, second in line to the British throne after his father Prince Charles, was wearing a navy suit and red tie.

Meanwhile, their Canadian fans packed every hotel in sight of the capital. Some even camped overnight on the steps of the war memorial, awakened by Canada's national anthem blared from nearby Parliament Hill where technicians readied sound and stage equipment for Friday's Canada Day celebrations.

"It's symbolic that Canada is the first place they have chosen to visit," said Dave Sencial, who had come all the way from Canada's easternmost Newfoundland province to see the royal couple.

Support for the monarchy hovers above 50 percent in Canada and has risen from last year since the royal nuptials, although there is still a vocal anti-monarchist minority.

In addition to official and military ceremonies, the lengthy royal visit will have its more casual moments, such as a cooking class, an aboriginal sports event and a rodeo.

The initiation of sorts for the British royal family's newest member, also known as the Duchess of Cambridge, will provide vital training for the future queen in the cauldron-like atmosphere of royal walkabouts.

Their first day will kick off with military honors as well as speeches by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Governor General David Johnston and Prince William himself.

Later, the royals are to attend a barbecue with 120 young Canadians at the official residence of the British governor general, Rideau Hall, originally the home of a Scottish stonemason.

On July 1, they cap off their visit to Ottawa celebrating Canada's national holiday, joining tens of thousands outside parliament for musical performances and fireworks.

After taking a cooking class in Montreal on July 2, William and Catherine will travel to Quebec City, Charlottetown, Yellowknife and Calgary.

Prior to their final stop in Canada, the newlyweds, who honeymooned in May in the Seychelles, were expected to sneak away on a romantic getaway to a secluded and undisclosed location in the Rocky Mountains for a day and night.

Their tour of Canada coincides with a grim milestone -- Friday would have been the 50th birthday of Princess Diana, Prince William's mother, who was thronged by fans when she made her own visit to Canada in 1983.

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William's grandmother, is Canada's official head of state but has next-to-no role in the country's governance.

A poll released on the eve of their visit showed one-third of Canadians wish to cut ties with the British monarchy.

Anti-monarchists in the French-speaking independence-leaning province of Quebec added their own event to the royal itinerary, calling for protests when the couple stops in Quebec City on Sunday.

After wrapping up their tour of Canada, the couple will travel to California for three days, July 8-10, for a visit whose highlight will be a black-tie celebrity reception for British filmmakers in Los Angeles.

Yahoo! News

Wills, Kate off to Canada, US in first tour (AP)

LONDON – It sounds like a bit of a racket: $4,000 for a three-course meal and a chance to see a polo match up close.

It gets better when you throw in the chance to rub shoulders with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in southern California, where bragging about having a glass of wine with the new royal couple may be the ultimate Hollywood glamour trip.

The charity event at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club will be one of the highlights of the first official overseas trip by Prince William and the former Kate Middleton, which kicks off Thursday in Canada and takes them later to southern California.

There's no doubt the athletic prince and his fashion-forward bride have star power to burn. 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 charity event. William plans to play in the match, and his wife will award the trophy to the winning team.

"The members are thrilled to host the royal couple and the public's reaction to this special day and event has been fantastic," said club chairman Glen Holden, a former U.S. ambassador to Jamaica who said he has never seen anything like it in his 38 years with the exclusive polo club.

In Canada, William and Kate will join in raucous Canada Day celebrations, open the Calgary Stampede, and canoeing in the vast northwest territories. They will meet veterans and their families, as well as youth groups in several parts of the country.

William plans to demonstrate his skills as a helicopter rescue pilot by taking part in a water landing demonstration, and the couple also plan to put on aprons and take part in a cooking workshop in Quebec City.

They 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.

It doesn't take a foreign venue to spark interest in the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the formal royal titles the newlyweds received from Queen Elizabeth II on their wedding day. Their first charity appearance, as guests of honor at a gala dinner in London earlier this month, raised hundreds of thousands of pounds (dollars) for a children's' charity and drew luminaries from Britain's film world.

The couple even managed to use their wedding day as a way to raise more than 1 million pounds ($1.6 million) for 26 designated charities. They urged guests, and well-wishers around the world, to make contributions to the charities rather than give them presents.

The innovative tactic was successful in focusing public attention on a number of groups that are usually overlooked, said Gareth Harper, managing director of the Peace Players, a Northern Ireland charity that was among the charities singled out by the royal couple.

The group, which uses basketball to bring together people from both sides of Northern Ireland's religious and cultural divide, received several direct donations from people heeding the couple's charity call. President Barack Obama (a noted basketball fan) and his wife, Michelle, sent the charity six Apple computers.

"We were flabbergasted," said Harper of the surprise gift. He said the royal couple took an active interest in a pre-wedding meeting with the charity's leaders.

"We don't know how we go on their list," Harper said. "We were very impressed by their knowledge of our program. They obviously had a hands-on role and they had a lot of enthusiasm for this initiative."

Palace officials said money donated to the central wedding charity fund will shortly be distributed to the 26 charities.

Jessica Dallyn, fundraising director for Combat Stress, a charity that helps military veterans cope with stress-related ailments and other problems, said she expects to hear in the coming weeks how much the group will receive from the central fund.

She said the royal couple probably chose to back the group because it has received strong support for years from Prince Charles, William's father.

"Charles has been very pro-active, and I'm sure his commitment has been passed down to his sons," she said. "And I think Princess Diana's commitment would have had a huge impact on both of them."

Yahoo! News

Canada unveils flag for Prince William (AP)

OTTAWA, Ontario – Canada's prime minister unveiled Wednesday a personal flag for Prince William for use during his upcoming visit.

It will be flown for the first time on Thursday when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for a nine-day tour of his future realm. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the flag was approved by Queen Elizabeth II and William.

The flag will be flown at any building during his stay and on all vehicles. 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.

The queen also approved the design and creation of a personal flag for William's father Prince Charles. The queen is the head of state in Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.

Harper is the most pro-monarchy Canadian leader since the 1950s, and his ambition is to foster a national identity that is more conservative and more aware of its historical roots.

"The flag is a testament to the special bond between Canada and the Royal Family and pays tribute to our shared history, traditions and institutions. It will be flown with great pride throughout the upcoming Royal Tour by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge," Harper said in a statement.

Harper has been shifting the country's ideological bearings from center-left to center-right — a project that lays greater stress on such symbols as the monarchy, the military, hockey and the Arctic.

To mark the queen's husband's 90th birthday this month, Harper announced that he appointed Prince Philip an honorary admiral and general in the Canadian Armed Forces, the first time an honorary rank has been granted at the highest level of the Canadian Armed Forces

Harper is expected to bask in the aura of William and Kate on their first official overseas trip as a married couple.

Yahoo! News

Fun in store for William and Catherine on Canada tour (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – Britain's Prince William and his new wife Catherine will indulge their fun-loving side when they visit Canada, their first official overseas tour since getting married, royal officials said Tuesday.

From donning aprons in a cookery workshop to taking part in a boat race, the packed tour is billed by royal officials as a hands-on affair.

Their energetic nine-day trip, which starts on Thursday next week, is an energetic contrast to the more reserved approach taken by Queen Elizabeth II, William's grandmother, on foreign tours.

The couple will be hoping that their trip to Canada will be a further boost to the British royal family after their fairytale wedding on April 29 was watched by a global TV audience of more than two billion.

"The Canadians have put together an extremely welcoming and well-balanced programme of meaningful engagements," said the couple's private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.

He added it was "mixed with fun and lots of opportunities to get to know Canada and Canadians better".

The couple will take part in a dragon boat race and will be given the challenge of steering their teammates across a lake on Prince Edward Island, an eastern province of Canada.

Catherine, the former Kate Middleton, trained for a charity dragon boat race in London in 2007 but had to pull out because of security concerns.

While in the province, the royals will sample local delicacies such as chocolate-covered crisps and lobster.

William, a search and rescue helicopter pilot who celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday, will join his Canadian counterparts for a demonstration of how to land a Sea King chopper on water.

In Quebec City, they will put on aprons and take part in a cookery workshop with students learning the hotel trade.

They will also take part in walkabouts throughout their tour, giving them a chance to get to know Canadians, the officials said. Organisers are expecting large crowds, with the tour coming so soon after the wedding.

William, second-in-line to the British throne, and Kate will arrive on a Royal Canadian Air Force plane at the start of the their trip. They will visit the country's cenotaph and tomb of the unknown warrior in the capital Ottawa.

The following day, they will celebrate Canada Day, joining hundreds of thousands of people in Ottawa dressed in the national colours of red and white.

The final leg is Calgary, where their visit will coincide with the Calgary Stampede, an annual rodeo and festival which bills itself as the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth".

The royal couple will be presented with 10 gallon cowboy hats when they arrive in the city.

After wrapping up their tour to Canada, where the British monarch is head of state, the couple will visit California for three days from July 8 to 10, where the highlight will be a black-tie celebrity reception for British filmmakers in Los Angeles.

Yahoo! News

Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga win at Canada video awards (Reuters)

TORONTO (Hollywood Reporter) – Pop stars Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga were the big winners at Canada's MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto Sunday.

Bieber, who was on hand as girlfriend Selena Gomez co-hosted the event, was voted favorite artist by his countrymen for the video "Somebody to Love."

Additionally "Somebody to Love" and his clip for "Find Your Love" shared the prize for best international Canadian video.

Lady Gaga was voted most popular international artist by fans, and also took home the best international video for "Judas." She performed twice at the show.

The video of the year went to Ontario pop/R&B singer Shawn Desman for "Electric/Night Like This," while Los Angeles-based hip-hop quartet Far East Movement grabbed the international group video trophy for "Like a G6."

Yahoo! News

William and Kate's Canada itinerary announced (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – Prince William and his new wife Kate will visit eight cities during their July visit to Canada, their first overseas royal tour as a married couple, palace officials have announced.

The couple, officially titled Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will kick-off their visit in Ottawa before taking in Gatineau, Montreal, Quebec City, Charlottetown, Summerside, Yellowknife and Calgary.

From there, they will fly to California and spend two days in the Los Angeles area.

"The couple are very much looking forward to their first joint royal tour," a royal source said.

"Their purpose is to strengthen the very strong ties that exist between Canada and their royal family and for the duke and the duchess to get to know Canada better."

William last visited Canada when he went to Vancouver aged 15 in 1998 with his father Prince Charles and brother Prince Harry. He was given a pop star's welcome and was mobbed by teenage girls.

The brothers also toured Ontario province with their parents in 1991.

As Canada is a Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its sovereign, the duke and duchess will visit as members of the Canadian royal family.

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.