Royal Couple Arrive On Prince Edward Island

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived on Prince Edward Island for the fifth day of their first overseas tour as a couple.

The pair were welcomed to Charlottetown, the island's capital city, by a piping band.

The island is the setting for Anne of Green Gables - one of Kate's favourite childhood books.

From here on in, the tour will be in anglophone Canada and after city ceremonies will come the country's wilderness.

The crowds have so far been captivated by Kate - but on Sunday it was her turn to be spellbound.

She showed genuine surprise at a demonstration of magic tricks performed at the Maison Dauphine, a centre for disadvantaged young people.

The visit was a welcome a break from formality which both she and her husband seemed to appreciate.

William indulged in a little table football - a chance to let off a bit of steam before duty called.

Amid the pomp of a Freedom of the City Ceremony the Duke gave a speech, solely in French - a clear nod to the fact that this is Canada's French heartland.

He said: "It's an honour for me to be here with you in Quebec today. For me, as a soldier and an airman, it is a privilege to have inspected a great regiment like the Royal 22nd.

"Your reputation is as strong as it is legendary.

"This place has such beauty and history. You, the Quebecois et Quebecoise, have such vitality and vigour. It is simply a pleasure to be here.

"Thank you for your patience with my accent, and I hope that we will have the chance to get to know each other over the years to come."

The couple cannot be unaware of sensitivities that lie most strongly with separatists like the Quebec Resistance Movement.

Once again they faced protests not just on the ground but also from the sky. A plane flew over the city centre with a banner for Free Quebec.

The protests have meant heavy security for the visit. Fans who got to meet the couple were hand picked from the crowd by guards.

British born David Cheater was one of the lucky few. He said: "It meant so much to me to meet them. I am a monarchist through and through so it's something I will never forget."

An impromptu walkabout kept a small fraction of the crowd happy - at times the tour is more like a movie premiere and it is quickly becoming clear that Kate is the star of the show.