A royal arrival! Prince William, Duchess Kate and their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, touched down in Victoria, British Columbia, Saturday, September 24, to kick off their eight-day tour of Canada.
The family of four landed in a Canadian Air Force plane at 3:55 p.m. local time Saturday, and they received a warm welcome from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau; Governor General of Canada David Johnston and his wife, Sharon Johnston; Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon; Premier of British Columbia Christy Clark and her son, Hamish.
Clad in a blue Jenny Packham dress, a matching Lock & Co. hat and the queen’s maple leaf diamond brooch, the Duchess of Cambridge looked stunning as she carried Princess Charlotte down the stairs of the plane to greet the dignitaries.
Both Prince William, 34, and Duchess Kate, 34, held Prince George’s hands as they made their way off the aircraft. The adorable boy, 3, wore a light blue sweater and navy shorts by Pepa and Company, while his younger sister, 16 months, looked cute in a patterned light blue dress with a blue bow in her hair.
“I’ve been looking forward [to this visit],” Prince William told Premier Clark before leaving in a motorcade to drop the children off at Government House, where they will stay for the duration of the Canada tour.
As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were welcomed to the Great White North by members of the public, the Duke said, “Catherine and I are delighted to be back in Canada. When we were here last time, we had been married only three months. The warm welcome that you gave us at that important moment of our lives meant a lot to us — and we have never forgotten it. That is why we are so pleased that George and Charlotte can be with us in Canada this time around, beginning their own lifetime of friendship with this wonderful country.”
Later in the day, Prime Minister Trudeau told reporters at Government House, “What a pleasure to be able to welcome Their Royal Highnesses back to Canada — a great opportunity to share the warmth and particularities of the West Coast with people who are excited about engaging with it all. It’s wonderful to see you guys.”
During the royal family’s Canada tour — their first as a family of four — they will focus their engagements on young people and mental health. They are scheduled to fly back home to London Saturday, October 1.
