The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte exit the aircraft as they arrive at Victoria International Airport, in Victoria, Canada, on the first day of their official tour of Canada.
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The Duke and Duchess have previously hinted they were keen to take three-year-old George and one-and-a-half-year-old Charlotte to as many Commonwealth realms as possible before they start school.
Several thousand people waited for the royal couple for an official welcoming ceremony at the British Columbia legislature. She wore a patterned white dress with blue shoes and a blue bow in her hair as she held onto her mother.
After a few moments greeting dignitaries, the young Prince warmed up to wave enthusiastically at the cameras.
Waiting at the bottom of the plane’s steps to greet them was Canada’s young charismatic leader prime minster Justin Trudeau, who last summer invited the Cambridges to visit, and his wife Sophie Gregoire.
The “Trudeau Show” was on hand to greet the Cambridges, with Prime…
Catherine accessorised with a blue hat, which was decorated with maple leaves as a tribute to her Canadian hosts, as was the Queen’s brooch, given to the late Queen Mother by her father, King George VI, to mark the state visit to Canada in 1939. “She was a major royals fan”.
The couple is bringing along its children, 3-year-old Prince George and one-year-old Princess Charlotte.
An employee walks by a painting of Queen Elizabeth during a media briefing about event preparations ahead of the Royal visit to the Government House in Victoria.
While the military air base was closed to the public for the arrival, the main roads were lined with hundreds of flag-waving well-wishers as the cars travelled in convoy to their new temporary home.
“They want to be seen as the human being behind the role; they want to look people straight in the eye and shake their hand”, said Monique Goffinet Miller, with the Monarchist League of Canada.
“How about the children”, asked Mr Johnston, as the couple sat down with him and his wife Sharon in the Drawing Room, “Are they fast asleep?”
The duke and duchess spoke at length with three veterans, including Gordon Quan, who served as a commando in Burma during the Second World War.
As the rest of the 12-strong Royal entourage including the children’s nanny Maria Theresa Borrallo stepped down from the plane using the back steps, the motorcade drew up to whisk the Cambridge family off to Government House where George and Charlotte will stay for the next 8 days.
Electrical sockets have been covered, ornaments and trinkets moved out of reach and wooden toys and snacks placed in the children’s guest rooms.
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“Give yourself lots of time to begin with, we’re not expecting too many traffic disruptions, it is a Sunday”.
