Kate looked incredibly elegant in a blue Jenny Packham dress with a hat by Lock and Co and the Queen’s maple leaf broach but it was 3-year-old George who stole the show when the Cambridge family touched down in Victoria Canada today to start their 8-day tour of British Columbia and Yukon.
The Prince of cuteness walked down the steps of the Airbus 310 which had flown direct from London, standing between his parents holding both their hands, the Duchess carrying a very content Princess Charlotte on her left hip.
In short blue shorts, long blue socks, a smart cosy mid-blue jumper with a shirt underneath and his hair freshly combed and parted, George was his usual inquisitive self , taking in the bank of 100 media, flashes clattering and TV film cameras rolling.
Prince Charlotte was in a matching blue floral dress and Prince William looked dapper in a navy suit.
At the bottom of the steps the royal family were greeted by an impressive and very stylish line including the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and wife Mrs Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, a one-time TV host – dressed in regal purple – the Premier of British Columbia Christy Clark and her son Hamish, and the Governor General of Canada David Johnston.
Princess Charlotte attempted a few waves as she sounded out her first encounter with a royal tour arrival. The one-year-old did not seem to be overawed despite clinging on tightly to her mother.
Once on the Tarmac Prince George began to look a little lost but was constantly reassured by his father Prince William who knows exactly how his son is feeling having encountered his first royal tour with his mother Princess Diana landing into the heat of Alice Springs in 1983. Sensing his unease Prime Minister Trudeau knelt down onto the Tarmac to talk to the third in line to the throne face to face for several minutes.
Trudeau is the latest powerful head of state to greet the young Royal, the last being President Obama who famously met a pyjama-clad Prince George in Kensington Palace earlier this year.
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.
After a brief stop the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed to the Legislative Assembly and expected crowds of 10,000 for an official ceremony welcome filled with pomp and ceremony.
Words: Juliet Rieden on location in Victoria
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