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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte step off the plane as they arrive in Victoria, British Columbia.
PRINCE William and his wife Kate have arrived in British Columbia for an eight-day trip during which they will view spectacular nature sites and meet with refugees and indigenous Americans.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie received the royals at a ceremony with military honours and a 21-gun salute.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge arrive at the Victoria Airport.Source:AFP
“Canadians have tremendous affection for the royal family,†said Trudeau, who was received by the British and Canadian head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, at Buckingham Palace early this year.
The prince and his wife first visited Canada five 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.
William and Kate have arrived in Canada.Source:AP
The royal couple’s son Prince George, who is three, 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 in Vancouver by visiting a shelter for refugees and a home for children with mental disabilities.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince George of Cambridge.Source:AFP
“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.
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.
From left to right, Gov. General of Canada David Johnston, Sharon Johnston, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, British Columbia Premier Christy Clark and Lt.-Gov. of British Columbia Judith Guichon stand on the tarmac as Britain's Prince William and his wife, Kate, along with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive in Victoria, British Columbia.Source:AP
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.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge arrive at the Victoria Airport.Source:Getty Images
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 $A1.19 million.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge arrive at the Victoria Airport.Source:Getty Images