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Ottawa, ON – May 11, 2026 – The Ottawa Hospital and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands held a ceremonial royal visit at the Civic Campus, celebrating a shared history dating back to the Second World War. During the visit, Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands presented tulips to President and CEO Cameron Love and hospital staff, symbolizing the enduring bond between the hospital and the Netherlands.

Princess Margriet also visited the Special Care Nursery, where staff care for infants and support families during some of their most vulnerable moments. She met with staff and spoke with families navigating the early days of their newborns’ care.

Canada became a safe haven for the Dutch Royal Family during the Second World War. Crown Princess Juliana and her children fled to Ottawa in 1940, where they remained until after the war. Born at what was then known as the Ottawa Civic Hospital, Princess Margriet’s birth in 1943 brought a small ray of light and hope to the people of the Netherlands.

The tulips presented by Princess Margriet have long symbolized the strong bond between the Netherlands and Canada. This tradition began with a postwar gift of 100,000 tulip bulbs from Princess Juliana as a thank-you for Canada’s wartime support.

The royal visit also highlighted the transition from the Civic Campus to The Ottawa Hospital’s future campus, where we will continue to honour Princess Margriet’s legacy. Now under construction near Commissioners Park, which is home to many of Ottawa’s tulip beds, it connects a place of deep historical significance with one that will soon represent the future of health care in the region.

“We are deeply honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet to The Ottawa Hospital. Her connection to this hospital is a meaningful part of our history and a symbol of hope and friendship between Canada and the Netherlands,” said Cameron Love, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital. “As we build for the future, that legacy continues to guide our teams and our mission to provide world-class care to patients.”

Media Contact:

Rebecca Abelson
rabelson@toh.ca
343-576-0259

The Ottawa Hospital:

The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals where we are guided by our vision to provide the world-class and compassionate care we would all want for our loved ones.

Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, is home to the Regional Trauma Centre and Cancer Centre, and to discoveries that are adopted globally.  

Backed by generous support from the community, we are focused on reshaping the future of health care to improve the health of our diverse population of patients from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, and Nunavut.  

For more information about The Ottawa Hospital, visit OttawaHospital.on.ca.