The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge showed off their rowing prowess today joining a special crew in a 25ft Haida war canoe to announce their arrival in a remote archipelago of more than 150 islands off the west coast of Canada.
Wearing a Smythe jacket, white blouse with bow neckline by Somerset by Temperley, Zara jeans and her favourite chocolate brown suede cowboy boots, Kate paddled along to the beat of a pacer’s drum as part of the 12-strong crew.
Elder Guujaw sat in the middle of the boat, singing traditional songs to help keep the royal couple and their fellow rowers in time as they paddled around the coast. They were in remote Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands, in British Columbia as part of a series of engagements focusing on Canada’s First Nations.
The cedar and spruce-covered islands are home to 5,000 people, of whom about a third belong to the Haida Nation and were looking stunning today, under sunny blue skies, the air fresh and crisp.
Haida Gwaii means “Islands of the People” and archaeological evidence suggests the area has been inhabited for at least 10,000 years. The royals’ fibreglass canoe was a replica of the traditional red cedar vessels used by the Haida Nation for centuries.
Kate and William had flown in from their base in Victoria, on the Canadian Airforce jet plane they have been using on this visit and then took a helicopter onto Graham Island. At the jetty, they were greeted by community leaders in fabulously colourful traditional dress. There were also crowds of children and locals behind a rope hoping to meet the couple but they were out of luck, the royals were on a tight schedule and had a lot to pack in.
Kate and William walked up the beach into the Haida Heritage Centre and Museum, where they enjoyed an official welcome from the President of the Haida Nation and a cultural performance from around 30 local children.
“Thank you very much for welcoming us into your Longhouse and for sharing your traditions with us,” said a delighted Prince William.
“The historic link between the Crown and the First Nations people is strong, and something that I hold dear to my heart. And so it is an honour for me to be here with you, to see that your traditions remain strong.”
For the royals’ lunch chef Edi Sazt had put together a special menu of smoked sable fish with chanterelle mushrooms, sea asparagus – and a surprise twist to remind them of home – mushy peas.
After looking more closely at the intricate traditional totem poles and canoes, The Duke and Duchess left in a motorcade on this tiny island to open the new Haida Gwaii Hospital and Care Centre.
They ended their visit with a spot of fishing, care of Highlander Marine Services and owner Danny Robinson and fishing instructor Randy Pryce. When The Weekly spoke to Randy, 45, before the royals arrived he said he hoped the couple would catch coho salmon and see the crab pre-placed in pots around the bay.
The Duchess arrived having changed into a red Really Wild Clothing jumper and a scarf of otter fur that had been gifted to her by the Haida people, to keep her warm out on the water and both she and William looked thrilled to be getting the chance to fish in this stunning remote part of the world. In the end they didn’t catch the fish but did pull up the crab pots.
Tomorrow the couple spend their final day in Canada back in Victoria where the locals will get the chance to wave Prince George and Princess Charlotte goodbye as they board a sea plane for the first leg of their journey back to England.
