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VICTORIA, British Columbia, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with their children -- 3-year-old Prince George and 1-year-old Princess Charlotte -- were warmly welcomed in Victoria, Canada. They were greeted Saturday on the tarmac by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie. The welcoming party included Gov. General David Johnston and wife, Sharon.
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Prince George and Princess Charlotte smiled and waved to the media before being taken to Government House before their parents went to the British Columbia Legislature Building. The staff of British Columbia's Government House child-proofed the mansion, and placed toys in the guest rooms.
During their ride from the airport to downtown Victoria, people cheered and took photos. The windows of their car were open so they could wave back.
The Duke and Duchess paid their respects to Canadians who served their country and lost their lives at the Cenotaph. The couple laid a large wreath at the monument after a moment of silence. They also unveiled a plaque created for Canadian military personnel who fought in Afghanistan.
The Duke thanked their hosts for putting together a "unique program" for their trip.
"Catherine and I have asked to meet as many people from as many walks of life as we can while we're here," he said in a speech outside the B.C. legislature building to thousands. "We're very much looking forward to learning about how Canadians are tackling some of the biggest challenges of the day."
Trudeau noted the difficulty in traveling with children.
"As any parent who has traveled with children knows, it is a whole different experience when you bring your family with you. I want to commend you and thank you for introducing our part of the world to Prince George and Princess Charlotte," he said.
"Though let me caution you from my own experience. If they're anything like our kids, getting them back on a plane after a visit to our beautiful West Coast will really be a challenge."
William and Kate had been married for three months when they first visited Canada in 2011.
The prince also recalled his visit to British Columbia as a teenager in the late 1990s, when he was greeted by screaming girls.
"We feel very fortunate to have time to get to really know parts of this country that we did not get to visit in 2011 but of which I have very happy memories as a shy teenager," he said. "A few of you remember it too well, I think."
On Sunday, William and Kate traveled to Vancouver, including a visit to Sheway, a pregnancy outreach program for mothers with drug and alcohol issues.
The royal couple also will go to Bella Bella, Haida Gwaii and Kelowna in British Columbia as well as Whitehorse and Carcross in Yukon.
