Following a tour of a new welcome centre for immigrants and refugees, the royal couple host a reception at the Telus Garden, which gives them an opportunity to meet and honour young Canadians who are making important contributions to their communities.
Advertisement
The couple then stopped at an outreach center for women with drug and alcohol addictions who are pregnant or parenting.
The Duke and Duchess laid a wreath at the cenotaph and unveiled a new plaque in honour of Afghanistan veterans and even though they were running late, they spoke at length to three veterans, including Victoria’s Gordon Quan who served in Burma during the Second World War.
“When a 5-year-old girl presented the Cambridges with teddy bears, William accepted the present and said, ‘George would love this'”.
As William chatted to Mr Trudeau, Kate tended to a somewhat shy George, asking “Are you OK?” as she crouched down to hold his hand before lovingly stroking his hair and cheeks.
The royal couple have been advocates for mental health services in the United Kingdom.
They launched a mental health campaign called Heads Together in the United Kingdom earlier this year to reduce the stigma around mental illness and raise funds for support services.
Britain’s Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, left, and Prince William arrive in Vancouver for planned events on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016. The Duchess of Cambridge looked flawless in a gorgeous red-and-white printed Alexander McQueen dress, which she paired with a matching clutch and pumps, while the Duke made his own dapper mark in a black suit.
The Daily Mail, in particular, was most entranced by the Kate’s attire on her Vancouver stopover.
George appeared a little hesitant as he walked down the steps from the plane and despite holding on to his father’s hand he reached out for his mother’s dress and she quickly took his hand.
The interest from the duke and duchess in Sheway was evident, said manager Patti Zettel.
Tamara Gardner, from the Vancouver suburb of Maple Ridge, brought along her 15-year-old daughter, Victoria, for the visit.
“Moving through the program with them, their questions were thoughtful, their questions were informed”, she said. The smiling couple shook hands with people and took flowers, showing no signs of fatigue after a long day.
Some of the spectators came dressed for the occasion.
“I started crying. Oh, it was so embarrassing!” she said afterwards.
William added: “George too, he’s a big fan, thank you so much”.
Advertisement
Prince William is a helicopter pilot with East Anglian Air Ambulance and recently spoke about “dark moments'” in his job for a documentary that was made for National Air Ambulance Week in the United Kingdom.
