Prince William and Duchess Kate left their kids in Victoria, Canada, while they took a short trip to the island of Haida Gwaii on Friday, September 30, but that doesn’t mean the royal couple didn’t have their little ones on their minds.
While opening the new Haida Gwaii Hospital and Care Health Centre, the Duke and Duchess chatted with two young mothers about maternity care on the remote island. One mom, Carla Russ, 37, brought her 3-year-old daughter to the event, and while watching the little girl playing on the floor with a pile of building bricks, Kate, 34, said, “George would love those.”
“They don’t have much of an attention span, though,” William joked, telling Russ, “Your little girl is doing very well.”
At another point in the day, the couple spoke with Vivian Roberge, 30, who brought along her 4-month-old daughter. When Roberge explained that her daughter Eden was teething, William couldn’t resist quipping, “Good luck with that.”
During their tour around the island, William, 34, and Kate were also given garments as a sign of welcome and respect by the local First Nations Haida community: woven raven’s tail scarves.
Just one day earlier, the happy parents spent the day with their two children at a royal engagement at Government House in Victoria. There, Us Weekly’s European bureau chief, Omid Scobie, was on hand to witness the fun afternoon, which included a petting zoo, a puppet show, a guitar player, bubble-making machines and refreshments.
“Charlotte headed straight for the balloons the second Kate put her down (she’s walking!), and she rubbed her hands along the balloon arch before hugging it,” Scobie observed of Charlotte, 16 months.
“Would you like a balloon, Charlotte?” Prince William said, before picking her up. At one point, Charlotte was heard calling out to “Dada.”
Her older brother, George, meanwhile, enjoyed some time with the animals. “George, do you want to come and see the ponies?” Kate asked her 3-year-old firstborn, letting him sit on a miniature horse while Charlotte lovingly petted a black and white rabbit.