Prince of Tides: William rules the waves as he beats Duchess of Cambridge in dragon boat race

By REBECCA ENGLISH
Competitive streak: Kate and William hug before taking part in a dragon boat race on opposing teams

Prince William shows off his piloting skills by landing Canadian Forces Sea King helicopter on water in front of crowds

Kate wears an ivory pencil dress by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen - who also designed her wedding gown

Wet, grey and miserable…it wasn't quite the right day for a trip to the seaside.

But that failed to stop the Duke and Duchess plough on with the latest leg of their tour of Canada - turning their hand from everything from Dragon Boat Racing to a soaking game of beach volleyball.

Prince William prepares to take part in the dragon race as the couple gets ready to show their competitive streak

The couple were on Prince Edward Island, the setting for one of Kate's favourite childhood books, Anne of Green Gables Set in the 1870s, the novel recounts the life and times of a feisty red-headed schoolgirl, Anne Shirley, who is adopted by brother and sister farmers in the mistaken belief they are taking in a young boy.

Reminiscent of scenes in 2007 when she trained to take part in a cross-channel race, left, Kate took to the water against William's team

Competitive: Kate tries her best to catch up with William whose boat leads by several metres

The Duke of Cambridge rows fiercely with his team mates as he glides along Dalvay Lake

William got rather wet in the friendly dragon boat race but that did not stop his competitive spirit showing through, goading the opposition as he rows to victory

It's all smiles in the end, though, as he gives his wife a hug back on the jetty after he won by several metres

Royal seal of approval: Prince William gives the thumbs up to his victorious crew while Kate looks forward from the steering position at the back of her team's boat
Heather Moyse, the Olympic bobsled gold medallist, shared a joke with William as she presented him with a bottle of champagne for winning the race.

The sportswoman said she heard the royal on the radio joking about persuading his uncle the Earl of Wessex to rename the island Prince William Island.

She said: 'I told him PWI is harder to say than PEI, but if he could arrange it with his uncle we would not mind.'

She added: 'Both he and Kate are very competitive, so I think it was good. As a female athlete, I would be really annoyed if someone let me win.'

The royal couple were later welcomed by First Nations people with a traditional Mi'kmaq smudging ceremony.

They took part in a 'smudging ceremony', a ritual which involves a Mi'kmag elder lighting sage leaves and wafting the smoke with an eagle wing toward her and William

William, damp in patches from his rowing pursuits, makes Kate laugh heartily at something he said as a chef prepares a lobster for the couple

Methilda Knockwood-Snache, 60, a Mi'kmaq elder who had lit some Sage leaves in a bowl wafted the smoke with an eagle wing towards the Duke and Duchess standing in front of her.

Kate went first in the ceremony cupping her hands and wafting the pungent smoke up to her face before chatting to the 60-year-old.

William followed and did the same and also exchanged a few words with the elder before the royals gave Ms Knockwood-Snache and others with her, traditional gifts of tea - from exclusive store Fortnum and Mason - and red velvet packages containing tobacco.

After the ceremony the elder said the ritual cleanses the recipient's 'bad thoughts', senses and body.

She added: 'I told William it would help him in his job as he's going to be faced with a lot of work and some times will be hard.

'I said that's why I'm smudging you to offer you guidance and he said 'I really need it'.

Kate and William cover their ears from the noise of a Canadian rescue helicopter as they arrived in Summerside later today

The book has sold more than 50 million copies and draws thousands of tourists to the picturesque island, with its charming bays and clapperboard houses, each year.

At a reception to welcome them to PEI, as it is known, Kate chattered excitedly about her childhood passion for the book which she first read when she was eight. 'She [Anne Shirley] was a real heroine. You could lose yourself in it. I loved it,' she said.

The morning saw the couple first take part in more formal festivities, with the Duchess dressing for the occasion in a nautical-style cream and pale blue cable-knit pencil dress by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, who designed her much-lauded wedding dress.

Prince William sits in the seat to the left after having taken part in the exercise known as 'waterbirding'

Ready for action: With camera in hand, Kate waves to her husband as he comes in to land, while Prince William looked relaxed as he made his way to the Sea King

Prince William can be seen surveying the water below through the window of the Sea King as he takes off and lands several times

Prince William confidently tips the Sea King so that his wife and the watching crowd could see into the cockpit while left, the helicopter is seen moments after take off

Crowds look on as Prince William shows off his flying skills aboard a Canadian Forces Sea King helicopter, landing the amphibious craft on water earlier today

Unusually, she had her long, dark hair tied back in a loose pony tail courtesy of her personal hairdresser, James Pryce, who has joined her for the trip.

Sadly, however, the heavens truly opened just before they were due to arrive for a fun-packed afternoon at the picturesque beachside resort of Dalvay-by-the-Sea.

There was just enough time for a quick change into more casual fare.

For Kate this was figure-hugging blue trousers showing her tiny physique and a navy overcoat topped off with a red scarf casually knotted around her neck and white and cream deck shoes.

First it was a chance for William show off his skills an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot, by co-piloting a Sea King.

Visit: William and Kate arrive at Prince Edward Island watched by a number of fans who had dressed up in period costume for the occasion

Wardrobe malfunction? Kate's skirt is caught by the wind as she greets fans in blustery and wet conditions

Something funny? Kate laughs as Prince William struggles to put a pen back into its holder after signing the guest book at Province House in Charlottetown

Say cheese: A young Canadian fan is delighted by Kate as the pair pose for a photograph

'What they've seen in Quebec, in Montreal the last two days is, for them, just part of the rich fabric of Canada and in no way detracts from how much they respect and admire the country,' said the couple's spokesman, Miguel Head.

'They've very much fallen in love with the country.'

The jeers contrasted with the start of the royal couple's Canadian trip in the largely English-speaking capital, Ottawa, where they were cheered by tens of thousands of people on Friday's Canada Day holiday.

Quebec separatists are angry that Canada still has ties to the monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is still the country's head of state.

Police were out in force in downtown Quebec City. About 200 protesters, some wearing black and waving flags, demonstrated about two blocks from City Hall, where Prince William, a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot, attended a ceremony to honour and inspect the Royal 22e Regiment, the most famous French-speaking unit in the Canadian military.

Staying dry: The Duchess holds an umbrella as her husband meets Mounted Police officers

A larger crowd of several hundred supporters, chanting 'Will and Kate' were allowed closer to City Hall and greeted the royal motorcade with loud cheers when it arrived.

After a military band played the first six bars of 'God Save the Queen,' Prince William made brief remarks entirely in French.

'You, the Quebecois et Quebecoise, have such vitality and a remarkable pride. We are simply delighted to be here,' he said.

Undeterred by the nearby protesters, Prince William and Kate charmed the Quebeckers with an unexpected walkabout. The royal couple went to the barricade, chatting and shaking hands with enthusiastic supporters in the square around City Hall before leaving by motorcade.

Support for the separatists among Quebeckers has been on the decline in recent years as the 80 per cent French-speaking province has enjoyed plenty of autonomy even without quitting Canada.

Close: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoy a private moment as they continue with their busy schedule

Prince William and Kate In Canada- Day 4

source: dailymail