Prince William and Kate arrive in Canada

New York Post

OTTAWA – The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge launched their 12-day North American tour Thursday, their first as a married couple, enthusiastically shaking hands and chatting with cheering crowds in the Canadian capital of Ottawa.

In very brief remarks at their official welcoming ceremony some two hours after arriving, William – who switched between Canada's official languages of French and English – said even before they married, the couple had "a longing to come here together."

He also provoked a laugh when, after several sentences in French, he paused, looked at the crowd and said of his foreign language ability, "it will improve as we go on."

Prince William and his wife, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge in Canada as they kick-off their nine-day tour at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ontario. The trip will send the couple the CBC described as "rock star royals" criss-crossing the country for nine days before they fly on to southern California for three more days.

Prince William's newly created personal flag flew from the cockpit of the couple's Canadian Air Force jet as it landed in Ottawa shortly after 2pm ET.

As they descended the stairs after the roughly seven-hour flight, both William and Catherine appeared relaxed and smiling.

During the flight, Catherine changed from the outfit she wore at takeoff -- a navy blazer by Toronto-based Smythe les Vestes over a dress from French designer Roland Mouret – into a navy patterned dress by Canadian-born designer Erdem Moralioglu.

From the airport, the couple left for the National War Memorial, where they laid a wreath and bouquet of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Prince William's great grandparents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, unveiled the memorial in 1939.

Both appeared enthusiastic as they spent extra time on a "walkabout," reaching into the crowds to shake hands and stopping to chat briefly with military veterans in uniform and ask questions about their medals. People in the crowd could be heard chanting, "Kate, Kate, Kate."

Next, it was on to the official welcoming ceremony at Rideau Hall, the residence of the Governor General, the Queen's representative in Canada. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William's grandmother, is Canada's official head of state.

Following remarks by Governor General David Johnston and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, William stepped forward and said "Catherine and I are so delighted to be here in Canada" and referred to the "great Canadian family" before promising his French would improve.

Following a brief rest, the couple was to attend a barbecue and reception honoring young Canadians who have served their communities. The dinner will be cooked by culinary students and was expected to end by 7:30 pm ET, allowing them an early bedtime after a long day of travel.

Thousands hoping to see the royal couple lined the streets of Ottawa hours before their arrival and some even reportedly camped overnight on the War Memorial grounds.

However, Canada's ties to the monarchy are not popular with all its citizens, particularly hard-line separatists in Quebec.

According to AFP, a poll released on the eve of William and Catherine's visit showed one third of Canadians want to cut ties with the British monarchy.

The trip is William's third to Canada – the last was when he was 15 – and his first official one. Catherine has never been to North America before.

An unprecedented 1,400 journalists have been accredited for the Canadian leg of the tour, which will see the royal couple also travel to Quebec, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Alberta.

On Friday, which is the national holiday Canada Day – as well as what would have been the 50th birthday of William's mother, Princess Diana – he was to deliver a speech on Parliament Hill.

The CBC said hundreds of thousands were expected to attend.

Prince William's flag, unveiled Wednesday by Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, was the first in 50 years to be created for a member of the royal family.

The red, white, blue and gold banner features a wreath of maple leaves and a cursive W. It will be flown day and night at any building where he stays and on all vehicles in which he travels.

From their last stop in Alberta, the royal couple will head to California for three days. There, William will play in a polo match in Santa Barbara to benefit his charitable foundation and the couple will attend a dinner for the British Academy for Film and Television Arts.

California already has launched a national television campaign with the tagline "Three Days Isn't Enough."