Summerside welcomes royals with open arms

SUMMERSIDE - Former senator Archie Johnstone has met countless dignitaries, but none hold a candle to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"Just because you're a former senator doesn't mean you meet royalty every day."

Johnstone was among 200 invited guests, dignitaries and veterans who got an up close and personal view of William and Kate during the royal couple's brief, albeit memorable, visit to Summerside on Monday.

"I intended to tell her, because of her interest in Anne, that my grandmother is a cousin of Lucy Maud's. You think afterwards 'Why didn't I tell her that?'" said Johnstone. "We talked about his mother, Diana, and I told them my wife and I were so much in love with her, that we met her on the royal yacht Britannia in 1983."

Kate told him she hopes to one day come back to Prince Edward Island.

Thousands came out to greet the Duke and Duchess as they made their final stop during their whirlwind 24-hour visit to the Island.

The Duke and Duchess made a late arrival to the city, flying in on a search and rescue helicopter, which was later used during a mock rescue exercise.

Before the helicopter even landed, cheers erupted from the crowd. Many who had waited hours for the royal couple's arrival in the western city.

The couple, casually dressed and smiling, stepped from the helicopter, Kate giving a brief wave to an adoring crowd while William covered his ears to block out the noise of the chopper.

Once on the ground, National Revenue Minister Gail Shea and Fisheries and Oceans Minister Keith Ashfield greeted the royals, chatting for a minute before moving further down the wharf to board Canadian Coast Guard vessel Edward Cornwalis.

On board, William and Kate watched a mock search and rescue play out for several minutes on the waters of Summerside Harbour.

The Duke and Duchess also spoke several minutes with fishers and their families who benefited from the work and quick response of search and rescue teams.

As the Duke and Duchess walked down the ramp William at one point turned to his bride, offering her a steady hand and help down the steep, metal walkway.

It was then that cameras flashed and cheers and applause erupted from the invited guests who gathered to catch a glimpse of the famous newlyweds.

The couple spent several minutes chatting and sharing a few laughs with Senator Mike Duffy, Shea and Ashfield before speaking with other dignitaries.

Then, in a rarely-seen moment, Kate, when speaking with National Defence Minister Peter MacKay and his companion Nazanin Afshin-Jam, shared a laugh with and then hugged the woman.

Much to the dismay of the thousands who waited on the wharf, the Duke and Duchess only did a walkabout near the ship, stopping to speak with many of the 200 invited guests and dignitaries.

Tom Christie and his daughter Ava had brief chats with William and Kate. Ava presented a bouquet to William.

"The prince asked her if the flowers were for him and Ava said no, that the card and flowers were for Kate," said Tom. "He was very gracious and took time to ask Ava her name and how old she was. It was just a pleasant experience."

Minutes later, the little girl shook Kate's hand.

"She asked me what my name was," said Ava. Kate also commented on Ava's pink cardigan.

"Ava enjoyed that as much as she ever could," added Tom.

Summerside Chamber of Commerce Executive Director John MacDonald didn't get to meet the couple, but did see them close up.

"It was worth the wait. It was very exciting and dynamic," said MacDonald. "He was very personable as he was talking to people going by. She was very casual and exactly the same way."

The couple spent most of their time during the walkabout with a group of Summerside and area veterans.

"She was wondering about my hat," said war bride and former Brit Joyce Norring. "It was kind of exciting."

Nick Hann, who accompanied the 92-year-old Norring, said the experience was unforgettable.

"They seemed like down to earth people," said Hann, adding William had a firm handshake. "He said thanks for coming out and sorry for the wait in the cold."

Frances Holt-Gallant and mother, Dorothy, an Island girl who married a British soldier, said the couple was warm and friendly.

"He was very polite and so happy to be here and she said the same thing," said Frances. "She said we had warm hands, that everybody down at Dalvay had cold hands."

Kate commented on the hat Second World War veteran Blanche Hogg was wearing.

"It was nice to meet somebody that has a background like that," said Hogg. "She comes across as lovely."

Daniel MacDonald, a volunteer with the Summerside legion, was dressed in a uniform similar to that Kate's late grandfather Peter Middleton would have worn during the Second World War.

"They were very personable and kind," said MacDonald, who had an extensive conversation with the royals. "She is quite pretty, too."

He said Kate appeared visibly touched he chose to portray her grandfather, an instructor with the Royal Air Force at a Calgary flight school during the war.

"It was a memory they got to take home with him that was something a bit beyond shaking hands," he added. "She mentioned she had her grandfather's wings and was thinking of bring them down. William mentioned that it was a nice touch."

Legion member Joyce Phillips told the Duke how his great-grandfather inspected her father, a solider, prior to D-Day in England.

"He thought that was great and thanked us for my father being there and coming back," said Phillips. "She was unbelievable, so gracious and down to earth. She had an interest in everybody."

Stu Grady was pleased with the couple's warmth and openness.

"I'm amazed how much time they put in. They asked me what I was in and I told them I was in the Korean War, Cyprus and Egypt," said Grady. "They said thank you very much for doing your time."

The couple shook the hand of almost every veteran, chatting with each of them, before leaving the city's wharf for the Summerside Airport where they boarded a plane for Yellowknife and the next leg of their visit to Canada.

nmacphee@journalpioneer.com