The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Ottawa on Thursday at the start of their first official overseas trip together to a Canadian welcome as effusive as if it were their wedding day all over again.
It is almost as if the second largest nation on earth (by area) is saying something that their more populous neighbour further south cannot match.
After thousands turned out to welcome the couple, Prince William expressed the delight that he and his wife felt at the start of their tour. In a speech on the steps of Rideau Hall, the official residence of the governor-general of Canada, he said: "Catherine and I are so delighted to be here in Canada. Instilled in us by our parents and grandparents, who love this country, we have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. We both had a longing to come here together," he said.
"The geography of Canada is unsurpassed, and is famous for being matched only by the hospitality of its people. We are so very excited about having this opportunity to experience both, and learn much more about this amazing country."
The prince, who gave a bilingual address, also joked about his French: "It will improve as we go on," he said. He concluded by saying: "Thank you so much. We are truly looking forward to this adventure."
A crowd of several thousand monarchists gathered to cheer the royal couple and were rewarded when they went on a short walkabout after the ceremony.
Friends Alice Hamid, 14, and Alexandra Anghel, 18, both from Ottawa, were screaming with joy after meeting the duchess.
Alice said: "She looked stunning. This is a moment that will never be erased from my memory - not ever.
"I told her it was an honour to meet her and she said, 'Oh, thank you.' We had been waiting for five hours and were hungry and tired but once they arrived it didn't matter."
Alexandra added: "She seemed so down to earth. It was a surreal moment to meet her, someone I never thought I would ever meet and there she was in front of me.
"William's lineage is amazing, he's literally walking history – I can't believe I saw walking history."
A poll this week suggested that 5% of all Canadians wanted to go and see the royal couple, which means that up to 1.5 million people could turn out to see them: a tribute to their celebrity, perhaps, rather than their constitutional status.
Some of those who made the trip to the war memorial had travelled for hours for a view of the royal couple. "It's our goosebump moment," said Holly Davidson, who had driven from Guelph, near Toronto, with her eight-year-old son Jackson. "We are so excited to see them. They are so young, fresh and in love. It's inspiring, really."
Next to them, David and Sherie Gray had travelled for 15 hours and had been waiting behind the crash barriers since 7am – about the time the royal couple were leaving Britain – to be present. "It's part of our summer vacation. We just wanted to see them. The royal wedding was just wonderful."
On arrival, the couple were immediately pulled into the sort of schedule they will have to become used to: a formal welcome at the airport, a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial, where they were greeted by Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen, then on to the governor-general's residence, followed by a barbecue and the chance to meet what the schedule called "approximately 120 Canadian youth".
The couple will spend eight days in Canada – long for a royal visit these days – followed by three in Los Angeles, where Prince William will play a polo match at Santa Barbara and, the highlight in a celebrity-obsessed town, attend a reception for British actors and film-makers in Hollywood.
On Friday the couple will be in Ottawa for Canada Day – it is also what would have been the 50th birthday of William's mother, Diana – during which they will take part in a citizenship ceremony, a procession in the state landau, and a fireworks display.
Later appointments include meetings with the fishermen of Prince Edward Island, the aboriginal Canadians of the Northwest Territories, and cowboys taking part in the annual Calgary Stampede.
The prince will speak publicly three times during the visit – his wife is to remain officially silent – but it is what they will say during informal meetings and walkabouts that will attract the attention.
Long before their plane had left Heathrow, television stations were making the arrival their lead item newspaper supplements were replete with advice on how to bow, crowds were gathering outside parliament and guards' bands were marching.
"Most Canadians don't think of themselves as living under a monarchy," said John Fraser, master of Massey College, Toronto, author of a forthcoming book on the subject. "There is no more deference, but there is certainly celebrity status."
Although small demonstrations are planned by Quebec separatists when the couple arrive in French-speaking Canada at the weekend, newspaper polls show a majority of locals even there say they are excited by the visit. The separatists are divided and were heavily beaten in recent elections and have resorted to complaining about the cost of the visit – about $1.5m (£950,000) excluding security – rather than the fact that it is happening at all.
A poll by Ipsos-Reid for the Ottawa Sun found, contrarily, that, while 55% of respondents said they didn't know what all the fuss was about, 55% also said they were excited by it; and, while 48% said formal ties with the monarchy should be ended when the Queen dies, that meant a majority – up 10% in the last year – disagreed.
More than 1,500 journalists have been accredited – a third more than attended the Queen's visit here last year – indicating just how quickly the former Ms Middleton's star has risen.
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