Global General

Prince William, Kate charm Canada on royal visit

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-07-02 13:07

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, greets spectators during Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, July 1, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

Before leaving Parliament Hill, the royal pair walked toward the barricades holding back the public and shook hands and chatted with the people, some of whom had waited through the night. Several gave Kate flowers and small, wrapped gifts.

Greg Kolz, 33, shook hands with both William and Kate and got so nervous that he wished William a "merry Christmas." "His response was 'that was brilliant' and that he had done that once or twice himself," he said. "We did a bit of a high five and then I collected myself enough to wish him a happy Canada Day."

Courtney Young, 20, said William and Kate make the monarchy relevant to her generation. "They are rock stars. They are a modern couple," she said. "With Prince Charles coming in, my generation didn't really feel it. Kate is one of us. It makes it more real. And it's a modern day fairy tale."

Friday also would have been the 50th birthday of William's mother, Princess Diana, who died in a 1997 Paris car crash. In London, her admirers gathered to leave gifts outside Kensington Palace, which was her official residence.

Signs carried by the crowd included "Canada loves Will and Kate" and "Happy Birthday Lady Di. Canadians love you."

Joan Milovick, 65, traveled to Ottawa from the Toronto area with three of her sisters and met William during a walkabout. Her sister gave William flowers to give to Kate.

"He seemed so genuine, so much like his mom," Milovick said, getting teary-eyed. "Very glamorous, very much like Diana was."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are officially known, later attended the evening portion of a Canada Day concert and were visible to thousands via a giant television screens. Kate wore a purple Issa Jersey dress.

Some Canadians refused to give up an unofficial Parliament Hill Canada Day tradition - as the music carried on, the smell of marijuana wafted through the cooling night air.

They royal couple began the day Friday by joining in the ceremony for people who became Canadian citizens.

As they emerged from their motorcade at the Canadian Museum of Civilization to a raucous welcome. The pro-royal spectators broke into spontaneous renditions of "O Canada" and "God Save the Queen" to drown out a handful of protesters who oppose requiring new Canadian citizens to pledge allegiance to the queen.

At the museum, the royal pair watched as 25 people from 14 countries became Canadian citizens. They handed out red and white maple leaf flags to the newly minted Canadians, then participated in a reception for the new citizens and their families.

During the visit, William, a helicopter pilot, will take part in a water landing demonstration, and the couple is scheduled to put on aprons and take part in a cooking workshop in Quebec City. They also will open the world-renowned Calgary Stampede.

Some anti-royal protests were expected in the French-speaking province of Quebec, with small groups planning protests in Quebec City and Montreal.

The prince and Kate jet to Los Angeles on July 8 and will host a gala dinner there the next night to introduce up-and-coming British film talent to Hollywood executives.