VICTORIA, Canada – Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Canada on Saturday, September 24 along with their two children George and Charlotte for a one week visit in the country.
The royal family was met by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie, along with other officials.
{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BKwcKnmAEPV/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte have arrived in Candada for #royalvisitcanda</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-09-24T23:19:51+00:00">Sep 24, 2016 at 4:19pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}
{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BKwe1iSgfBv/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">A little wave from Prince George to Prime Minister and Mrs Trudeau who together with The Governor General welcomed the family to Canada.</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A video posted by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-09-24T23:43:11+00:00">Sep 24, 2016 at 4:43pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sophie and I were honoured to welcome William & Kate, the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, today in Victoria! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalTourCanada?src=hash">#RoyalTourCanada</a> <a href="https://t.co/GlhUngO92k">pic.twitter.com/GlhUngO92k</a></p>— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/779842866382331904">September 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">An honour welcome the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with their adorable children, to BC. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalVisitCanada?src=hash">#RoyalVisitCanada</a> <a href="https://t.co/rIjwulQVc5">pic.twitter.com/rIjwulQVc5</a></p>— Christy Clark (@christyclarkbc) <a href="https://twitter.com/christyclarkbc/status/779834369838022656">September 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Immediately after landing, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went to the Cenotaph at the BC Parliament to pay their respects. William also gave a message, saying how he and his wife are happy to be back in Canada.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Duke and Duchess pay their respects at the Cenotaph at the BC Parliament Buildings <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalVisitCanada?src=hash">#RoyalVisitCanada</a> <a href="https://t.co/DeXvj98QLP">pic.twitter.com/DeXvj98QLP</a></p>— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/779843763518701568">September 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Duke addresses the crowds gathered in Victoria: "Catherine & I are delighted to be back in Canada." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalVisitCanada?src=hash">#RoyalVisitCanada</a> <a href="https://t.co/ISKUpBVOSW">pic.twitter.com/ISKUpBVOSW</a></p>— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/779854138020663296">September 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After an incredible welcome in Victoria TRH meet with Canadian PM <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau">@JustinTrudeau</a> and Mrs. Grégoire Trudeau <a href="https://t.co/UNUbXB2sdG">pic.twitter.com/UNUbXB2sdG</a></p>— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/779872124097945600">September 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The prince and his wife first visited Canada 5 years ago. This time they will take in the natural beauty of Canada's Pacific coast, heading as far north as the rugged Yukon territory, and will also meet with indigenous people.
The royal couple's son Prince George, who is 3, and his 16-month-old sister Charlotte will stay with their nanny in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.
Royal fever has taken hold in Victoria, where the provincial parliament has been decorated to welcome the British couple.
They will stay at a luxurious Victorian mansion that is the home of the governor general, the queen's representative in Canada.
Accompanied by the Trudeaus, they will begin their visit in earnest on Sunday, September 25 in Vancouver by visiting a shelter for refugees and a home for children with mental disabilities.
"Sophie and I look forward to showcasing beautiful British Columbia and to promoting awareness of both youth and mental health issues alongside their Royal Highnesses," Trudeau said.
Photo op
Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, will also go with Sophie Trudeau to meet with women living at a drug rehabilitation residence. Vancouver has seen a spike in overdoses involving the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl.
The rest of the visit will take William and Kate to the island of Bella-Bella for a traditional indigenous ceremony at the foot of a totem poll, then for a hike through a rainforest before heading north to the city of Whitehorse in the Yukon, a wild, mountainous territory with a sparse population.
Then they will stop off in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley in the south of the province, near the US border.
For their fans, William and Kate have set aside time at the end of the trip for big festival at which residents of Victoria will be able to snap photos of them and their kids.
The family will leave Victoria by seaplane – the city is on an island – on October 1, before returning to Britain on their official plane.
Some Canadians – mainly those who dislike the royal family's expensive lifestyle – are complaining about the cost of the visit for taxpayers.
The cost of the trip to British Columbia and the Yukon will be disclosed after it is over.
But when the couple visited in 2011, two months after their wedding, the trip cost Canadians 1.2 million Canadian dollars (800,000 euros). – with a report from Agence France-Presse/ Rappler.com