It was an action packed week for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their two young children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. It was the youngster’s first debut into the celebrity status that they’ll have to endure all of their lives, but by the time they left, both seemed quite comfortable with the adoring crowds and cameras watching their every move. George and Charlotte spent most of their time at Government House in Victoria, where they they were made to feel quite at home. Royal watchers caught glimpses of the children at play. The kids even spent some time at Gyro Park in Cadboro Bay.
Meanwhile, from their Government House base, their parents did a whirlwind tour of British Columbia, spending time in Vancouver in the Downtown Eastside, taking in wineries in the Okanagan. up to Haida Gwaii, and then up to Whitehorse. Their itineraries have been well covered in local and national media, and I won’t dwell on them in detail here.
Here in Victoria, there were two main opportunities to see, and if one was very lucky, to interact with the Duke and Dutchess – Wills and Kate. When they arrived offered the greatest opportunities, but huge crowds made it impossible to get close. Some people staked out their spots along the royal route hours in advance.
On their final day, we went to the Ogden Point breakwater. Kate and Wills were scheduled to ride a tall ship. It was a situation of hurry up and wait, but being part of the crowd in a celebratory mood is a big part of the experience. As their motorcade drove by, I did manage to get a shot of the royal couple in their limo. Following are some photos of the scene at the breakwater.
A few hours later, we went to the Inner Harbor to bid farewell to the Royal family as they departed via float plane for Vancouver, and then home. I’ll bet they were exhausted, with all of the meeting and greeting, handshaking and talking they have to do, all the while looking attentive and happy.
John R. Paterson, Author 