Royals B.C. tour: No Prince George visit for Prince George

It would have been the picture perfect photo-op and headline, butalas, it wasn't meant to be.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced the royal itinerary for their first official tour of B.C. and Yukon and it does not include the City of Prince George.

• Will and Kate announce plans for B.C., Yukon visit

• The pressures of taking the royal children on a trip

While Will and Kate's tour does includestops inVancouver, Victoria, Bella Bellaand Kelowna, B.C. between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1 their son, Prince George, will not get to see the city that shares his name.

Many on social media couldn't help but remark on the missed opportunity.

Prince George's royal connections

Prince GeorgeMayor Lyn Hall says he's not surprised that the Royals won't be making it to Prince George this time around.

"When we put the request in, we were very realistic about our chances given that so many provinces, so many communities throughout the country wanted to have the Royals visit," he said.

In trying to coordinate a trip to Prince George,Hall says the city worked with a representative in the Governor General's office.

"You put the request in.You talk about the history that the Royals have had here in Prince George."

In 1994, Queen Elizabethvisited Prince George to officially open the University of Northern B.C., and Prince Charles and Princess Diana also came in 1986 as part of the Expo tour.

The city traces it originsto 1807 when a trading postcalled Fort George, after King George III, was established.

It was incorporated as the City ofPrince George in 1915, presumably named afterthe youngest brother of King George VI and the uncle of Queen Elizabeth II,according to the city'swebsite.

"And of course we can't leave out the fact that their son is the namesake of our city," Hall said.

Meanwhile, other people aren't giving up on having the Royals visit this time around.

Scott McWalter, who runs the popular Facebook group,Hell Yeah Prince George!, has started a petition to have the Royalsadd Prince George to their itinerary.

"It's a curious conundrum why Prince George received the snub, especially when you think about the substantial amount of weight the name 'George' carries in terms of sentimentality," McWalter said.

Princess Charlotte in Queen Charlotte?

Kate and Willare, however, stopping at Haida Gwaii formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Andrew Meriless, themayor of Masset on Haida Gwaii, says theyare pleased the Royal family is coming to HaidaGwaii.

"I thinkone of the attractions will be the Village of Queen Charlotte at the south end of Haida Gwaii with one of their children being named Charlotte," he said.

With files from Richard Zussmanand Jordan Tucker