Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, landed in Toronto for a night-time Victoria Day fireworks display at the city's waterfront, after spending much of the day in the East Coast where they visited a military base.
The royal couple is on a four-day tour of Canada to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, an event which recognizes the monarch's accession to the throne 60 years ago.
They arrived in New Brunswick late Sunday, and kicked off their tour Monday morning with a visit to Canadian Forces Base Gagetown. Gov. Gen. David Johnston and N.B. Premier David Alward were among several public figures welcoming them to the military base.
Prince Charles wore a dark blue lounge suit as members of the Royal Canadian Regiment saluted him at the base. Duchess Camilla accompanied him in a black-and-white hat and coat created by British fashion designer Bruce Oldfield.
Proceedings began with Heritage Minister James Moore thanking the couple for their "sense of service" which he added is "emulated by countless Canadians in communities large and small in every community across this great country."
While at CFB Gagetown, the pair was also scheduled to meet with the families of fallen Canadian soldiers, who are meant to be a focal point of the pair's visit.
The military base holds particular meaning for Prince Charles who flew at CFB Gagetown as a naval helicopter pilot in the 1970s. Light laughter could be heard from the audience as recalled his time "at an exercise area in the middle of nowhere."
"As the father of two serving sons in the Armed Forces -- who seem to have become hereditary helicopter pilots -- I am greatly looking forward to talking to members and veterans of Her Majesty's Canadian Armed Forces," he added.
A visit to the Prince's Operation Entrepreneur program, which helps service members transition to civilian life by starting businesses, was also on the royal agenda.
Royals greeted with ‘welcome home' signs
In the afternoon, the pair was whisked away to Saint John where they took in a citizenship ceremony and a historic tour of Prince William Street.
Onlookers carrying signs that said "Welcome home!" huddled along the street Monday afternoon, awaiting Prince Charles and Camilla's arrival.
When the pair turned up, thousands greeted the couple as they completed their walkabout, reported CTV Atlantic's Todd Battis.
City residents had spent the weekend putting finishing touches on tributes for the couple, including a number of "royal" menus at restaurants in the area.
Shortly after, Prince Charles and Camilla attended a citizenship ceremony held at the historic Old Post Office building in Saint John.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney joined the couple in congratulating the 13 new Canadians, ranging from six to 59 years of age, after they took the citizenship oath.
"Today's Victoria Day ceremony provided a rare and moving opportunity to pledge the Oath in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses," Kenney said in a prepared statement.
He said it was appropriate that the royal couple was attending a citizenship ceremony in Saint John, the first incorporated city in British North America in 1785.
Prince Charles and Camilla will round off their N.B. visit by touring a local public school and participating in Victoria Day celebrations at the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal.
Despite the crowded agenda, opportunities for royal watchers to catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess will be slim. The Prince William Street tour and the cruise terminal will be the pair's only two public appearances.
Though anti-monarchy protests persisted throughout Prince William and Duchess Catherine's highly publicized royal tour of Canada in 2011, Prince Charles and Camilla's visit hasn't seen any major disruptions thus far. The pair's Canadian tour is also shorter and the events more reserved than that of the younger royals.
Prince Charles and Camilla touched down at the Fredericton International Airport in a Royal Canadian Airbus on Sunday evening.
