International journalist dubs Canada’s reception of the Royals as “rock stars rather than royalty”

Prince William and Kate Middleton tour Slave Lake, AB. Photo: Government of Canada

By Lauren Babuik, reporter

As one of 1,300 officially accredited media personnel for the Alberta leg of the official 2011 Royal Tour to every destination, L.A.-based television correspondent Angela Cox describes her experience as frenzied but exhilarating.

“It’s been an amazing experience to follow William and Kate all around Canada, it’s the most I’ve ever seen of Canada,” said Cox, who was reporting for Australia’s Seven Network, at the conclusion of official media briefing.

“Obviously it’s been very hectic trying to keep up with them, but it’s been amazing – from the Canada Day celebrations which was such a good thing to be a part of and watching Canadians treat them like rockstars rather than royalty, that was pretty amazing.”

England’s Hedley Trigg, a cameraman for Five News, has a bit of a different take on the Royal Tour so far: “It’s not too hectic, it’s been very well organized and it’s run pretty smoothly.”

Cox named the tour’s stop at Slave Lake as the most moving experience thus far: “Obviously it was more than just a celebrity photo opportunity for fans; it was the first time, first reason the public has had a reason to smile in the past 6 weeks.”

Covering news on the road is incredibly more demanding than covering it at home; in a city you are not familiar with, information and materiel is not always as readily available, and the hours are long.

“This is unrelenting in the sense that you’re doing it everyday and it’s the one subject and you really got to think ahead in your day so you can make sure you’re in the right position at the right time,” explained Triggs, “Whereas back home it’s generally an organized set piece and you know to be somewhere at 10 o clock, and you’re on home ground, where this is logistically more difficult and very different.”

Of her time in Alberta, Cox said she enjoyed the spirit of the Stampede embracing the city: “I love the hats! I’ve got three, I’m going to put them on TV while I’m doing my live broadcast.”

Category: Canada