Kate Middleton And Prince William Sit Beside Justin Trudeau At Their Royal Tour Welcome Ceremony

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge were seated beside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Official Welcome Ceremony for their Royal Tour at the British Columbia Legislature over the weekend.

Canada Royal Tour: Justin Trudeau Meets Kate & William

William and Kate arrived in Victoria, Canada, on Saturday with their children – Prince George, 3, and Princess Charlotte, 16 months. While George previously accompanied his parents on their Royal Tour of Australia and New Zealand, the visit to Canada marks Charlotte’s first trip of the sort.

After greeting Will and Kate on the tarmac, Trudeau acknowledged how difficult it can be to travel with children – but how happy he was that they had chosen to bring along George and Charlotte.

“As any parent traveling with children knows it’s a whole different experience when you bring your family with you!” Trudeau said. “I want to commend you and thank you for introducing our part of the world to Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Although let me caution you from my own experience, if they are anything like our kids, getting them back on the plane after a visit to our beautiful west coast will really be a challenge.”

At the British Columbia parliament in downtown Victoria, in front of a crowd of thousands, Prince William shared his gratitude for the chance to return to Canada with his and Kate’s children in tow.

“Catherine and I are delighted to be back in Canada. When we were here last time, we had been married only three months. The warm welcome that you gave us at that important moment in our lives meant a lot to us – and we have never forgotten it,” said William. “That is why we are so pleased that George and Charlotte can be with us in Canada this time round, beginning their own lifetime of friendship with this wonderful country.”

The Duke and Duchess will spend eight days in Canada with George and Charlotte before returning to the U.K. early next week.