Royal Visit Wrap
Posted Jul 12, 2011 06:41:05 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Prince William and his wife Kate’s royal tour of North America was a spectacular success.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are now home in the United Kingdom after landing at Heathrow Airport Monday at 10 a.m.
The Queen is said to be delighted with Will and Kate’s tour of North America and plans to reward the couple with a long holiday. The pair will take two-and-a-half months off without another official engagement until the end of September. They plan to keep a low profile for the rest of the year as they adapt to married life and settle down in their North Wales home.
They are looking forward to enjoying quality time together out of the spotlight and also don’t want to overshadow Queen Elizabeth II as she approaches her Diamond Jubilee next year. According to a St James’s Palace spokesman, “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very conscious to make sure that the run-up to 2012 is the Queen’s year. She quite rightly should be in spotlight.”
William is set to return to his work as a Royal Air Force Search and Rescue helicopter pilot in order to qualify for a captaincy while Kate will spend some time planning which good causes she wants to become involved with and learning about her husband’s charitable interests.
The couple was married on April 29th in London and have completed their whirlwind nine-day tour of Canada and California.
Will and Kate touched down in Ottawa on June 30th at 2 p.m. where Kate stepped off the flight wearing a navy lace Cecile” sheath by Canadian Erdem Moralioglu, the popular Montreal-born, U.K.-based designer.
The royal couple drew a record number of people to Ottawa’s Canada Day festivities. 300,000 people crammed onto Parliament Hill hoping to catch even just a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess. It is the biggest Canada Day celebration Ottawa has ever seen. Kate dazzled crowds with her fashion choice of a cream-coloured dress and a red maple leaf fascinator. She even wore matching red shoes.
Other events the couple attended while in Ottawa, a wreath laying and walk about at the War Memorial at Elgin and Wellington Streets. They attended Rideau Hall for their official Canadian welcome by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor General David Johnson. It was there William gave his first official speech to Canadians. They also planted a tree at Rideau Hall before their departure to Montreal on July 2nd.
In Montreal, the pair were faced by protesters outside Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre chanting objections to Canada’s lingering ties to the British monarchy. Will and Kate remained poised and were all smiles. The estimated 35 protesters were outnumbered by hundreds of jubilant well-wishers. The newlyweds were at the hospital to visit with cancer patients.
Also while in Montreal, the Duke and Duchess paid a visit to a renowned cooking school and helped make a meal. They donned chef’s coats at the Quebec Tourism and Hotel Institute and spent about 10 minutes at four different stations in the kitchen. The royals then boarded the HMCS Montreal, which transported the couple to Quebec City from Montreal overnight.
In Quebec City, William spoke in French at city hall and praised Quebecers’ “vitality and vigour.” A few hundred Quebec sovereigntists protested for a second straight day but the anti-monarchy demonstration was peaceful.
The couple’s stop in Prince Edward Island was one of the most active stops on their tour. The newlyweds tried their hand at dragon boat racing and William, who’s a search and rescue pilot in the Royal Air Force, took part in a demonstration aboard a Sea King helicopter.
Thousands of people gathered at Yellowknife’s city hall to catch a glimpse of Will and Kate’s during their appearance in the territorial capital. One highlight was street hockey game where Kate dropped the ball in a ceremonial face-off. Will picked up a stick and tried unsuccessfully to score a few goals. The couple also flew by float plane to nearby Blachford Lake, where they took to the water in a canoe.
After bidding farewell to Northern Canada, the royal pair were off to visit the Alberta community of Slave Lake, which was badly damaged by fire. Slave Lake was not on the official royal itinerary, but the couple wanted to make the detour to show support for the many people who lost everything. They chatted privately with the Alberta town’s residents, firefighters and rescue crews at a local college.
The Duke and Duchess wrapped up their Canadian tour in Calgary where they joined the ranks of the city’s “white hatters.” The pair were presented with custom-made, white Smithbilt cowboy hats when they arrived at the Calgary Airport. Will and Kate wore cowboy garb and their new hats to launch the Calgary Stampede Parade. Before leaving Calgary, they paid a visit to the Calgary Zoo, followed by private meeting with homeless youth at a government reception. The final official function of the royal visit was at the Challenger Rotary Park in Calgary, where Will and Kate paid tribute to military personnel who’ve died serving in Afghanistan.
After nine event-filled days in Canada, The Duke and Duchess boarded a plane for California where their tour came to an end. The pair spent a busy two days in Los Angeles that included polo, Hollywood stars and raising millions for charity. Will and Kate attended a star-studded, black-tie soiree to promote British filmmaking talent. Celebrity guests included Tom Hanks and Jennifer Lopez. Before leaving, they visited Skid Row, downtown L-A’s gritty homeless core, and met with a group that helps veterans find jobs.
The Duchess almost made it through the entire tour without a ‘wardrobe malfunction.’ Her dress was blown dangerously high by a gust of wind as they departed from the airport in Calgary. Kate and Will made royal history this trip by bringing a skeletal staff, and although Kate did have her hairdresser traveling with her, she didn’t bring a dresser.
Here is a link to the 1310 royal tour photo gallery:
https://www.1310news.com/topic/Royal-Visit?&AssetType=Photogallery
