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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The countdown is on, with a mere three days until the royal couple touch down in Yellowknife.

Aisling Dunn, Mira Mercer and Brooklynn Macki practice a French folk song at J. H. Sissons School on Wednesday. The school's choir is performing for the royal couple at he legislative assembly on Tuesday. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo Protocol for meeting the royal couple Members of the royal family are called "Your Royal Highness" initially and "Sir/Ma'am" as the conversation continues. It is your choice to bow or curtsy to members of the royal family, or simply shake hands. You are allowed to shake hands if a member of the royal family offers to do so. There is no requirement for hats to be worn, though it is entirely acceptable to do so. Hats are not normally worn at functions after 6:30 p.m. There is no requirement for gloves to be worn. However, if a woman wishes to wear gloves, they should not be taken off before the wearer is presented. Description of a bow/curtsy for those who choose to make it: Men: a neck bow - just a little more than a nod of the head; Women: the right foot is placed behind the left heel, and the knees bent slightly. Source: Canadian Heritage

Their itinerary is scheduled down to the minute and the people involved in events on Tuesday, the one full day the couple are in town, are ramping up preparations and squeezing in last-minute practices before the big day.

After a quiet first night in the city, the couple will appear for their official welcoming on Tuesday morning at Somba K'e Civic Plaza, the main public appearance the Duke and Duchess will make in the city.

Yellowknifers will get a chance to meet the royal couple early next week. We'd love to see your pictures and hear your stories after you do meet them. Please send stories and pictures to editorial@nnsl.com. Who knows? They just might make the front page.

The ceremonial events include youth ambassadors from across the territory demonstrating Dene handgames and Inuit sports, youth from the SideDoor Youth Centre playing a game of street hockey and the Paulatuk Moonlight Drummers and Dancers and the Dettah Drummers performing on the green park.

Bobby Drygeese, a drummer and organizer of the Dettah group, said 10 drummers will perform a welcoming song and dance and opening prayer.

He said the relationship between the Akaitcho Dene and the Crown has history which is why it's important that the Dene culture be represented at the welcoming.

"It's important because we signed a treaty in 1900 (Treaty 8) and a lot of people still honour that treaty. We honour that treaty. That's why we're a part of this," said Drygeese.

The treaty outlined the preservation of rights of the Dene to continue living in their culture on their lands.

From dancing and drumming to songs and fiddling, children from Yellowknife and across the NWT will be giving musical gifts to Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

Danielle Mallet-Hachey, the music teacher and choir director at J. H. Sissons School, is preparing a choir of about 22 students from grades 2 to 5 to perform at the legislative assembly while guests mingle before and after youth parliamentarians sit to debate.

Mallet-Hachey said the students were only informed a week ago they were wanted at the legislative assembly, with the official itinerary of the royal couple being kept under tight wraps.

"I think one of the key reasons that we were chosen is probably because we are a bilingual school, being French immersion," said Mallet-Hachey.

"It does represent a greater variety of the Canadian culture, children being able to sing in English and in French as well as various languages."

She said the choir will sing a variety of songs spanning from traditional French-Canadian folk songs to modern arrangements with pieces by classical composers and some current songs.

"It's a great honour. It's a thrill to have been invited and selected to participate in such an activity," she said.

Adding to the performances at the legislative assembly are the Cole Crook Fiddlers, who are spending their ninth summer camp season in Yellowknife for the first time.

Gerda Hazenberg, president of the Cole Crook Fiddle Association, said 16 fiddlers ranging from ages nine to 17 from the NWT will make up the troupe.

"We're honoured but we feel that we represent a strong cultural tradition of the Northwest Territories so we're really happy that the kids are able to perform for the Duke and Duchess," she said.

There will be more going on in the legislative assembly than music, as Tim Mercer, clerk of the legislative assembly, explained. The 19 student representatives from across the territory who participated in the 2011 Youth Parliament in May will reconvene to continue some of their debate with the royal couple present, and even try and engage them in some of the discussions.

Mercer said the royal couple will sit at the clerks' table, with the current members in their seats and the youth parliamentarians in an inner circle. Elder parliamentarians from last year's session will observe form the gallery.

He said the session will only last about 25 minutes. Following the debates, the royal couple will be shown the mace and given a tour of the Great Hall.

"If you look at the theme for the royal visit, it's past, present and future; the service of the past, current service and future service, so the inclusion of the elder par the youth and the existing members, embody all of that. The focus is really on youth," said Mercer.

Young and old alike are anticipating the royal arrival to the territory's capital. The Yellowknife Seniors' Society is holding high tea from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday at Rebecca's Flowers, Too in Stanton Plaza where residents can meet "avid royal wedding watchers."

The royal couple will fly to Blachford Lake Lodge on Tuesday after their visit to the legislative assembly to visit the site, speak to Dechinta students and leaders as well as Canadian Rangers before returning to the Explorer Hotel for one more night. The Duke and Duchess leave Yellowknife Airport at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday and head to Calgary, the final stop of their nine-day, seven-city tour.

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