Dutch royals kick off Canadian visit with YYT stop

Members of the Dutch royal family touched down in St. John's Tuesday to meet with Lt.-Gov. Frank Fagan and his wife Patricia.

It's the royal couple's first stop in an official state visit to Canada, scheduled to take place Wednesday through Friday, at the invitation of Governor General David Johnston.

The St. John's visit is brief, with the official greeting and a photo op at the airport the only events listed.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima are accompanied on the trip by the Netherlands' Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders.

According to the royal family's agenda, the visit will mark the 70th anniversary of the Netherlands' liberation and Canada's role in establishing that independence. 

In honour of the anniversary, the couple will visit the University of Waterloo to present Canadian students with the first of 70 new scholarships in business, education and science.

The royal couple will also meet with Canadian veterans who liberated the Netherlands in the Second World War, as well as Dutch emigrants — as more than one-million Canadians have Dutch roots. 

During the visit, Dutch businesses in agri-food, horticulture, water, soil and urban planning will be given the opportunity to make Canadian business contacts, while Canadian institutes will be encouraged to establish partnerships with Dutch universities. 

On June 1, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will begin a similar state tour in the U.S.