Will and Kate's Canada agenda unveiled

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OTTAWA, May 31 (UPI) -- British Prince William and his new bride Kate will be in Canada's capital July 1 to celebrate the country's 144th birthday, their agenda shows.

In a news release, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would arrive in Ottawa June 30 and stay through July 2.

The prime minister noted it was the couple's first official foreign visit since their April 29 wedding in London.

"The couple's decision to visit Canada first is a testament to our country's close relationship with the crown and royal family, and an opportunity for all Canadians to take pride in our traditions, history, and institutions," Harper said.

William, second in line to the British throne after his father Charles, visited Canada in 1991 and 1998, although it will be the first visit for his wife.

The couple will visit Montreal on July 2 and Quebec City the next day. Support for the monarchy is traditionally the lowest in the province of Quebec.

The couple will travel to Summerside, Prince Edward Island, then to the far northwest city of Whitehorse in the Yukon Territories and conclude their trip July 6-8 in Calgary, Alberta, where they will attend the opening of the annual Calgary Stampede, the agenda said.