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Prince Edward watches as the Queen opens the London 2012 Paralympic Games on Aug. 29.TOBY MELVILLE/Reuters

Prince Edward does seem to particularly like Canada. As the Earl of Wessex and his wife, Sophie, embark on a seven-day trip to this country, it marks the 33rd visit for the Queen's youngest son.

Edward's mother has been here just 24 times in her 86 years. And his 63-year-old brother, Charles, has made a comparatively meagre 16 trips this way.

However, in all the times he has set foot on Canadian soil, the 48-year-old Edward has never visited the North. So he and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, will make their first ever stop in Canada's Arctic on Thursday when their plane touches down in Iqaluit. Sophie has visited the country nine times. The two arrived in Ottawa Tuesday.

Edward has never been seen as one of the more exciting members of the Royal Family. He preferred working in the theatre to the adrenalin rush of the military that has employed his brothers and his nephews. And, unlike his three older siblings, he has never been divorced.

In Iqaluit, Edward and Sophie will attend a service of dedication at St. Jude's Cathedral, a large, igloo-shaped structure that was built to replace its predecessor, destroyed by an arsonist in 2005. They will take part in a community feast in the church's parish hall. And they will meet with local elders and political leaders, including Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak.

This is what is called a "working visit" for the royal couple who have been married for 13 years and have two young children – Lady Louise Windsor who is eight, and James, Viscount Severn, who is four. That means the government of Canada – and Canadian taxpayers – are not picking up the tab. Instead, the costs will be covered by a number of Canadian organizations who have sponsored the royal couple.

It also means that much of the trip will be conducted in private. On Tuesday night, for instance, Edward and Sophie were the special guests at a closed-door dinner at Rideau Hall with Governor-General David Johnston and members of the Canadian Royal Victorian Order, an honour bestowed on those who have performed extraordinary personal service to the Queen.

On Wednesday, they will lay a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, call upon Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and tour the National War Museum. They will also visit the stables of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but the public and the media are not invited to join them at that event.

After Nunavut, the couple will make a sweep through southern Ontario, travelling to Trenton, Hamilton, Queenston, Niagara-on-the-Lake, St. Catharines, Penetanguishene, Midland and Toronto before heading back to London next Tuesday. It is a tour that will centre on visits to military regiments, historical sites and charitable events.

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