Prince William and Kate Middleton's North American Trip Guide

June 29, 2011— -- Prince William and his bride, Duchess Catherine Middleton (formerly known as Kate), are headed to North America for their first official royal visit.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are scheduled to begin their trip Thursday with a swing through Canada to celebrate Canada Day and tour the country's territories. Afterward, on July 8, they will descend on the United States, where they are to receive a red-carpet welcome in California.

The royal newlyweds have a jam-packed schedule, but will be traveling with a scaled-down entourage. Here is a guide to their North American trip:

The Entourage:

Mindful of the recession, the duke and duchess "want to keep their entourage to a minimum," an aide told People magazine. So out with the lady-in-waiting. In with Middleton's hairdresser, James Pryce.

The 30-something hairdresser at London's Richard Ward Salon has been the Middleton family's stylist for seven years. He styled Kate's long chestnut locks for her wedding in April and her engagement last November. "She still comes into the salon and sits with everyone else -- there is no VIP area," a salon spokesperson told People.

Middleton may be asking Pryce for advice on her outfits as well, since she nixed bringing a dresser along. The duchess, who has become something of a fashion plate, is reportedly bringing along 40 different outfit changes.

The scaled-down staff of seven also includes a couple of media experts to handle the expected crush of press. They include press secretary Miguel Head, who has plenty of experience traveling with royalty, including William's first overseas tour when he represented Queen Elizabeth, and Patrick Harrison, the Prince of Wales's press secretary, who is an old hand at North American travel, having toured Canada with William's father Prince Charles and Camilla.

Helping the young royals navigate proper protocol during their trip will be their private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former army officer, and his assistant Chris Kealey, who will act as the tour coordinator to keep the couple on schedule.

Sir David Manning, a former foreign policy aide to Prime Minister Tony Blair and Britain's ambassador to America for four years, will also tag along, coaching the couple on charity work, official functions and more.

The Arrival:

This will be Middleton's first visit to Canada, while William is hoping to get to know the country better. Both plan to experience "the diversity, vibrancy of Canada, its geography and people," a source at St. James's Palace told People.

The duke and duchess are expected at Ottawa, Ontario's international airport about 2 p.m. ET Thursday. They will head immediately for the National War Memorial, where they will lay a wreath.

During their visit, which is being paid for by the Canadian government, the newlyweds will tour the Canadian airfield where Middleton's late grandfather, Peter Middleton, was based as an RAF pilot during the Second World War.

"Canada is very much part of her family's story," a royal source told People.

From the war memorial, they'll head to the governor general's official residence, where they will be welcomed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper with full military honours including a 21-gun salute.

Canada Day

On July 1, the duke and duchess will celebrate Canada Day, the official holiday marking the formation of Canada into a single country, by attending a citizenship ceremony and a parade on Parliment Hill, the public grounds of Canada's parliment buildings.