Prince William and Kate made quite the entrance as they visited Haida Gwaii on Friday! The royal couple arrived in a canoe, looking completely at ease in the boat as they paddled their way towards the cheering crowds who came to catch a glimpse of the pair on the penultimate day of their royal tour in Canada.
© Photo: PAPrince William and Kate arrived by canoe
Kate looked every inch a style icon for the day out and chose to champion a designer from her host nation, opting for an elegant jacket from Canadian label Smythe. The mother-of-two paired the look with a chic blouse from Somerset by Temperley and a pair of skinny jeans from Zara she had worn earlier in the week during a visit to Bella Bella.
She completed the look with brown boots, and also upped the beauty stakes with her hair worn down in a bouncy blow-dry style, kept off her face with a brown headband that closely matched her brunette tresses.
© Photo: PAThey visited the Haida Heritage Centre
Ever the gentleman, William was spotted helping his wife climb up onto the pontoon from the boat as they made their way to greet First Nations leaders, before heading to the Haida Heritage Centre and museum where they watched a traditional welcome ceremony and were offered Raven's Tail scarves.
The ceremony included a cultural performance from a group of local children, as well as several displays including one woman's dance in honour of their daughter Princess Charlotte, and a man's in honour of Prince George.
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© Photo: PAThe couple were gifted with scarves
During their visit, the Duke and Duchess also officially opened the new Haida Gwaii Hospital and Care Centre. The new centre aims to house facilities that have already helped change people's lives on the island, with locals no longer having to leave Haida Gwaii to have children, and being able to be close to loved ones. After the opening, William and Kate took time to meet with locals who have already benefited from the services.
They were given a tour of the area by locals
Just a few hours after arriving by canoe, the couple returned to the waters, this time joining young people from the Skidegate Youth Centre for an exciting fishing trip on the Hectate Strate. There they also learned more about the centre's mission to build confidence and achieve life skills with physical and creative activities. Kate once again upped the style stakes, donning a cosy red jumper - a nod to her host nation's colour - before boarding the boat.
Haida Gwaii, which means 'islands of people' is home to around 4,500 locals who live on the islands. They are hailed as the Canadian Galapagos thanks to their impressive wildlife, which boasts over 140 different species of birds.
© Photo: PAThe Duchess waved to cheering crowds who came out to catch a glimpse of the royal couple
Prince William and Kate left their children at home as they visited the area, no doubt to let their little ones recover from the exciting children's party they attended at Government House in Victoria the day before.
George, three, and 16-month-old Charlotte were the centre attention at the fun family affair, where they bonded with other children their age, sharing their toys and happily playing games. Prince George was spotted looking fascinated by bubbles that were being blown, while Charlotte had a whale of a time bouncing up and down on a golden retriever and poodle cross called Moose.
A group of military families, totalling 24 children and 24 adults from the Military Family Resource Centre, were invited to join the royal youngsters on their playdate - and the event, which Kensington Palace described as a "morning of surprises", proved a hit for all.
