By Eric Stern
May 15th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Ottawa’s tulip festival can trace its roots back to World War II. After the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands, Princess Juliana took refuge in Ottawa along with her two young daughters. While in Ottawa, a third daughter, Princess Margriet, was born. For the birth, the Ottawa Civic Hospital was declared Dutch soil.
Along with Princess Margriet, the “Tulip Legacy” was born. After returning to the Netherlands, the Dutch Royal Family began sending tulip bulbs to Ottawa and has been doing so ever since.
This gift has inspired the Canadian Tulip Festival, now the largest of its kind in the world.
Providing a safe haven for the Dutch Royal Family is one small part of the friendship between the two countries. Canada played a crucial role in the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II.
The Parliament Buildings, visible in the background, are undergoing a massive renovation and restoration project.
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