MONARCHISTS have called on the ACT government to ensure the thousands of unlucky Canberrans who missed out on an up-close encounter with the royals get the best chance to catch a glimpse of the couple during their public outings.
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About 250 lucky Canberrans won a ballot to see Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge up close at two closed functions at the Fairbairn air base on April 20 and the National Arboretum on April 24.
More than 12,500 people put their names in the ballot, leaving the vast majority disappointed.
Australian Monarchist League ACT chairman Matthew Sait said the number of entries showed there was an encouragingly high interest in the future of the monarchy: William, Kate, and baby George.
He urged the ACT government to provide opportunities and information to maximise the number of people who get to see the royal couple during their public appearances in the territory on April 24 and 25.
The couple are expected to attend the National Portrait Gallery and Parliament House, as well as the national Anzac Day ceremony at the Australian War Memorial.
''The important thing is that the government makes sure that at those events, there are plenty of areas where people can go and have the opportunity to see the royal couple,'' Mr Sait said. ''The government needs to make sure the information gets out there to people.''
Mr Sait said that could include advice on the best gathering points and the best roads from which to watch.
A spokeswoman for Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said the government had planned to provide as many opportunities to see the couple as possible. However, it is constrained by obvious security precautions, including during the closed visit to the National Arboretum.
The royals are expected to arrive in Canberra on the afternoon of April 20. They will have a rest day on April 21, travel to Uluru on April 22, and visit Adelaide on April 23, before returning to the ACT for April 24 and 25.
