So long: Prince William and Kate given a star-spangled send off as they fly home with hundreds of fellow Brits on commercial BA flight

By REBECCA ENGLISH and RICHARD HARTLEY-PARKINSON


Goodbye: The Duke and Duchess look back from the plane before getting on board after what has been a hugely successful first official foreign tour


After driving through an area with one of the biggest populations of homeless people in the U.S., Prince William and Kate Middleton boarded a commercial jet to fly back to the UK after saying goodbye to America.

Following a hugely successful tour of Canada and California, they are currently heading back to Britain having showcased the global popularity of the royal couple.

They were greeted by British Airways staff at Los Angeles airport as they boarded a homeward bound aeroplane from the U.S. on a sun-drenched runway - a marked difference to their blustery arrival at Ottawa airport over a week ago.

Arriving at LAX in a Range Rover they said their final goodbyes and receiving their last curtseys before jetting back to Britain on the BA flight.

It was the first official royal tour that the couple have embarked upon abroad and apart from a couple of minor demonstrations it has been heralded a huge success not just for William and Kate but for the British Royal Family.



Prince William puts a reassuring hand on his wife's back to usher her into the British Airways plane back the the UK after their trip to Canada and America



William and Kate arrived at a sunny LAX in a Range Rover before saying a few final goodbyes to well wishers on the tarmac ahead of their flight back to the UK



Some of the staff who will look after the royal couple lined up to greet them as they made their way to the flight which is due to land back in the UK today



The Duke and Duchess ascend the staircase to their BA flight, led by two BA cabin crew before turning to have one last look at California before their flight home



The couple were escorted to Los Angeles airport by a police motorcade with several motorbikes closing roads and police cars ensuring safe passage


They snubbed a private jet in favour of travelling on the commercial flight with the Duke and Duchess along with their entourage and security taking first class seats on the jumbo which was filled with everyday passengers

Speaking just before take-off at Sony Studios for Service Nation: Mission Serve - a program honouring members of the armed services - William thanked Los Angeles for welcoming him and his new wife.



That's my boy! Prince William gives a speech at the job-fair, and it seems to go down well with his wife Kate who applauds



Before heading to the airport they stopped at the charity, the Tusk Trust, where they met author Kristin Gore, actress Reece Witherspoon and heiress Jessica de Rothschild



William gets a good reaction from one of his jokes as he and Kate meet Charlie Mayhew, chief executive of the Tusk Trust, and director Meredith Ogilvie-Thompson



Kate chats to donors to the Tusk Trust, Ernie and Diane Burgess. Prince William is the royal patron for the charity which used their visit to launch the Trust's U.S. Patron Circle



The Duke and Duchess took part in an impromptu walkabout outside their residence in LA to the delight of fans who posed for pictures with Kate



Kate speaks to the parent of a girl who appears a little bashful at meeting the Duchess



The crowds of public weren't as big in the U.S. as they were in Canada, but there were sufficient people to make the couple feel welcome



Full steam ahead: Kate cracks on with a drawing at the Inner-City Arts centre, but William was a little slower off the mark, looking as though he was asking for advice



Coming along nicely: Kate overseas the tortoise operation whilst in the background William seems mesmerised by the shell



Glamour: The couple looked spectacular as they joined Hollywood royalty for a red carpet event while, left, Kate and Nicole Kidman dazzle in their floor-length gowns



Nicole Kidman appears starstruck, smiling as she listens intently to Prince William... but then she breaks into a laugh as the prince pulls a face



Big moment: Kate talks to Tom Hanks and his wife Rita, left, while Jennifer Lopez puts a hand on William and listens intently while the Duchess laughs in the background

Letzter USA-Tag für William und Kate


source :dailymail

We salute you: William and Kate wrap up their U.S. tour by paying tribute to brave Americans who serve in the military

By REBECCA ENGLISH


That's my boy! Prince William gives a speech at the job-fair, and it seems to go down well with his wife Kate who applauds


The royal couple's last event saw them attend a jobs fair at Sony Pictures Studio staged by Service Nation: Mission Serve.

The body is an umbrella organisation set up by the US government which brings together different service charities to support the re-integration of servicemen and women into civvy street.

The royal couple arrived in a motorcade with an escort of 17 officers from the Californian Highway Patrol - affectionately known as Chips - who had British flags fixed to the back of their large bikes.



Impressed: William warms up for his speech at the ServiceNation: Mission Serve event which helps get ex-servicemen into employment; he spoke of how he and Kate both had friends in the UK that could benefit from such a scheme


All smiles: The final leg of the royal visit saw William and Kate attend a job fair designed to get ex-servicemen back into work


The couple were greeted by Sir Howard Stringer chairman and chief executive of Sony Corporation and then led inside a building for a 25 minute-long private meeting with the senior staff from Service Nation: Mission Serve.

In Sound Stage 15, a huge 42,000 square foot open-plan building, dozens of business recruitment stands for the former US servicemen and women were set up.



Proud moment: William, who is a service officer, spoke highly of the workshop and hopes it can inspire veterans in their careers


Sets from iconic movies were built in the huge area from the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz to elements of the latest Spiderman movie and Sir Paul McCartney has used it as a rehearsal space.

The royal couple were cheered by the ex-servicemen and women and their partners who were attending the fair when they arrived, and the couple did a short walkabout.



Helping hand: William and his wife Kate help prepare care packages for military children


On stage with an enormous 60ft American flag in the background the Duke gave a speech.

The royal said: 'This is the last event on our tour of North America, but to my mind, it is one of the most important.

'This is because it is about men and women who - of their own free will - choose to put their life on the line for their country.'



He added: "Service Nation Mission Serve, and all the companies and employers taking part today, are providing opportunities which mean something very immediate and personal to us.

'Catherine and I both have friends back in Britain who could benefit from a brilliant initiative like this.'

William made the audience laugh by taking a swipe at his brother Prince Harry: 'I am delighted, therefore, that our Foundation – and in that I include my low-flying Apache very average brother – is a partner in today’s event.'



Packed out: William made the audience laugh when he joked that his brother, Harry, was a 'low-flying Apache very average brother


The royal went on to tell the audience 'how grateful we are to have been welcomed so warmly in the Golden State and the City of Angels. Thank you so much.'

The couple then filled boxes given to youngsters whose parents have been deployed to Afghanistan.

William and Kate were first shown a teddy bear called Cuzzie who was dressed in a scarf, goggles, jacket that was one of the main items.

The royal couple stood next to each other and filled the package with a journal for the children to jot down their feelings,

dogtags, so they can be just like mum or dad, a DVD that takes them through the issues around deployment, and postcards to send to the frontline.

When william picked up the popular American toy - Uno playing card - he said: 'I haven't seen these in ages, I used to play this a lot,' then put it in the box.
The couple then left to catch their scheduled flight back to the UK.


Kate, William Depart US After Charming Hollywood



source :dailymail

Royal snail: Kate races ahead with her painting at Inner-City Arts campus whilst William is slow off the mark

By REBECCA ENGLISH


Full steam ahead: Kate cracks on with her drawing at the Inner-City Arts centre, whilst William is slow off the mark, and looks as if he is asking for some advice on how to start his campus creation

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge left their mark on Los Angeles yesterday as they made imprints of their hands in clay.

The couple were visiting Inner-City Arts, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1989, which helps underprivileged children in the city’s Skid Row neighbourhood, to develop through the arts.

Just like the stars who leave their marks outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Kate and William gamely put their hands in blocks of clay and then signed them instead of writing in a visitor’s book.



Greeted with a smile: Prince William greets students as he arrives at Inner-City Arts during the royal tour of California in Los Angeles



Up close: Kate takes an interest in the design of the bird as she is welcomed to the arts academy


The tiles will be glazed by students, fired in their kilns and then installed in one of the campus walls.

Kate kept her priceless diamond and sapphire engagement ring on throughout the exercise.

Her first effort barely left an imprint prompting her husband to tease her: ‘Come on, come on. Do it properly’ before showing her his. ‘Now that’s an imprint.’

As they made their second mark, William looked over to his wife and rolled his eyes. ‘Come on do it again a little harder,’ he joked.



All smiles: Kate took time out to have a chat to one of the academy's welcome brigade


For their last effort the couple did a joint imprint, putting their hands over each other to push down. As they did so the pair started play fighting, trying to push each other out of the way.

Afterwards they washed their hands in the sink and Kate patted away at the prince’s trousers, desperately trying to get some of the clay off his Saville Row suit.

‘Oh well, it’s my own fault. I should have put an apron on like you,’ he remarked to Kate , who had sensibly put a black apron on over her navy and white crochet top and white pleated skirt by High Street store Whistles.



All ears: William leans in to find out a bit more about the work the children do in the school


Earlier the couple had sat down with students from a ceramics class and helped them to make a giant tortoise out of clay.

‘Brilliant,’ said William, who was being helped by Jeysey Aguilar, eight, ‘really impressive.’

Kate chatted easily with another group of youngsters who were working on the tortoise’s shell.

‘Do you play computer games?’ she asked one child, who replied that they did. ‘You should talk to William, he plays them all the time.’



Happy times: Any hint of nerves Kate may have displayed on the way into the Inner-City Arts school were soon left behind as she really got into the swing of things, including making handprints in clay complete with wedding ring intact


The area the couple visited is one of the most deprived in the city and is known as the homeless capital of the world.

In a 50 square mile block there are more than 4,000 homeless people of which at least 1,000 sleep rough on the streets each night.

Some 30,000 ‘at risk’ children live within a 2.5 mile radius of Inner City Arts, 90 per cent of which live below the poverty line.

As the couple drove through the streets they saw men and women pulling shopping trolleys containing their scant belonging and tents erected on the sidewalk.



Model student: William was tasked to build a part of a giant tortoise, with students Bianca Rodriguez (centre) and Elliana Rojas during his visit



Keep on smiling: Kate showed the same level of enthusiasm for the ceramics class as she has for the whole of the royal visit



Inner-City Arts delivers instruction in dance, drama, music, ceramics, visual and media arts to more than 10,000 children and young people every year.

Its interests complement those of British homeless charity Centrepoint, of which the prince is patron.

The charity’s CEO, Seyi Obakin, has spent several days in Los Angeles exploring future collaboration with the organisation.

Additionally, Inner-City Arts will be participating in the British Council and Royal Shakespeare Company’s International Shakespeare Challenge, which will engage teachers and students in studying and performing Shakespeare.

The objectives of the visit were to learn about the extent of homelessness and associated issues that affect children, their families and communities in one of the most deprived areas of Los Angeles.



Back to school: Kate talks with a child during a tour of the downtown LA academy as she gets to know a bit more about the school



Making a mark: William gets down to business as he starts to paint, with Kate shielding her work behind


Ahead of the visit, a colourful collection of characters had gathered outside the Inner-City Arts centre in downtown Los Angeles an hour before the royals arrived eager for a glimpse of the dazzling couple on Skid Row.

One of the poorest areas of LA, drug addicts and homeless people are a more common sight than royalty on Skid Row so the visit has caused a buzz of excitement for locals.

In a sharp contrast to the glitz and glamour of the polo match and the BAFTA black tie dinner, the crowd gathered outside a 99 Cent store market in a neighbourhood full of warehouses, Mexican food processing buildings, drug treatment centres and homeless shelters.



Patient: Bystanders await the arrival of Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, to the Skid Row area of Los Angeles



Loyal fans: The scene in downtown LA is worlds apart from the glitz and glam the royals experienced at the BAFTAs show and after-party


The 25 degree heat and harsh surroundings didn’t dampened the crowd’s enthusiasm as they chanted 'Will and Kate' loudly.

The centre boasts a unique approach to arts education for students of all ages, many living in Los Angeles’ poorest neighbourhoods. Since it was founded in 1989, more than 150,000 children have had the chance to take part in visual arts, music, dance, drama, ceramics, digital photography and animation.



Expectant: Students at the Inner-City Arts Academy take a break in their preparations to welcome William and Kate



Excited: The art students had a busy few weeks in the lead-up as they get set to show off their handiwork



Open arms: The Mark Taper Center in LA is privileged enough to be getting a royal visit



Handiwork: The royal couple will be welcomed by handprints of the students at the Inner-City Arts centre


Earlier in the day, the couple attended a private brunch at LA studio executive and multi millionaire owner of the New York Giants football team Steve Tish's mansion in the Hollywood Hills.

The exclusive meet and greet was arranged by the producer of Forest Gump for just 20 high rolling supporters of The Tusk Trust, the African wildlife charity of which William is patron.

A St James Palace spokesman denied reports that the guests had paid $100,000 each to attended.



Welcome: Chief Executive of Tusk's Trust Charlie Mayhew talks as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend a reception to mark the Launch of Tusk Trust's US Patron's Circle


'It was an informal brunch to give the Duke a chance to say thankyou to key supporters of the charity,' they said.

Afterwards the couple took part in an impromptu walkabout among Mr Tish's wealthy neighbours.

At the brunch were actresses Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner, the CEO of Disney and supermodel Linda Evangelista.

'It was an honor to open my home to TUSK for the launch of their US Patrons Circle," said OSCAR winning Film Producer and Philanthropist Steve Tisch.



Actress Catherine Keener speaks with Kate during the reception



Listen up: Reese Witherspoon was just one of the stars in attendance as William and Kate attended the launch of TUSK's US patron's circle


Royal Artists


source :dailymail

Kate Middleton keeps it simple in a fresh and floral dress as she and Prince William mingle with celebrities at charity polo match

By SARAH BULL and REBECCA ENGLISH


Stylish: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cut a stylish appearance as they arrived in Santa Barbara for a charity polo match today


There may have been stars of stage and screen at the charity polo event in Santa Barbara today but all eyes were definitely on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Catherine stood out from the crowd in a pretty 'De Gournay' silver and marble grey hand-painted chinoiserie silk dress by Jenny Packham with taupe L.K.Bennett 'Sliver' sandals and a gold clutch bag as she waved at supporters while arriving at the event, held in aid of the American Friends of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, beside her new husband.

Meanwhile, William looked smart in white trousers, a navy jacket, white shirt and brown suede loafers.



Smiles all round: The Duke and Duchess certainly appeared to be in good spirits as they strolled across the green to the polo match


Other celebrities to make an appearance at the event, an unofficial welcome to Hollywood for the royal couple, included Rosario Dawson, who wore a cute black dress and model Molly Sims, who donned a stunning cutout lace dress.

Jennifer Love Hewitt was also there, was said she was delighted to rub shoulders with real-life royalty. She said: 'They are so fresh, so elegant. I'm a huge fan and watched the wedding over and over again.'

Her Royal Highness is wearing a 'De Gournay', silver and marble grey hand-painted chinoiserie silk dress by Jenny Packham.



Fresh-faced: Catherine kept her make-up simple and left her long brown hair loose and tumbling


The charity match took place at the exclusive Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles.

Those who were keen to meet the royal couple and watch William lead his fellow polo players into the match could purchase a ticket for $4,000, while others could be given access to the grandstand, a box lunch and a souvenir program for $400. Any proceeds from the tickets will go to charity.



Californian tans: Both the Duchess and Duke appeared to have picked up a tan and sported some slight colour as they arrived for the match



What's that? Catherine laughs at something William says as they walk towards the event. William looked smart in his white trousers, shirt and navy jacket


Security at the pre-match lunch was very tight and everyone accessing was scanned twice and sniffer dogs checked even the smallest of designer handbags.

Guests will enjoy a three course menu of California chopped salad with parmesan frico and marinated giant shrimp, followed by sweetcorn lasagne with blistered tomatoes and roasted asparagus, and strawberry meringue trifle or tarragon merlot truffle and toffee truffle for dessert.



Travelling in style: The Duke and Duchess arrived at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club in a helicopter


In his speech, William joked to his celebrity audience that he wouldn't be returning to the polo club unless he won in his upcoming polo match,
He said: 'In terms of coming back, that depends on the result out there today. I'm not a good loser!'

The Duke also admitted his family were very jealous when they heard he would be playing at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club.

He continued: 'My father, The Prince of Wales, and my brother, Harry, were as green as that grass outside when I told them I’d be here today.'



Stylish: Catherine teamed her Jenny Packham floral dress with taupe L.K. Bennett heeled sandals and a gold clutch bag



Greetings! William waves at the crowds as he and his wife touch down in Santa Barbara



Posing up: The couple looked excited to be part of such an occasion at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club


The Duke and Duchess arrived in California on Friday after a nine-day trip to Canada, their first foreign excursion since getting married in April. Within minutes of landing, the couple headed to their first event, a technology summit in Beverly Hills aimed at promoting U.S. investment in British tech firms.

After the polo game, the duke and duchess will head to downtown Los Angeles to attend a black-tie event at the historic Belasco Theatre, where they will be guests of honour at a British Academy of Film and Television Arts dinner honouring 42 young British filmmakers.

Celebrities expected to attend the exclusive event include Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Quentin Tarantino and Judd Apatow.



Taking to the field: William looked delighted as he played in the Foundation Polo Challenge match at the club



Pre-match wish: Before William started playing polo, wife Catherine popped behind the scenes to wish him luck


The newlyweds have a busy schedule ahead of them in the U.S., which will take them from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to the poverty of Skid Row.

Speaking shortly ahead of their arrival, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, Britain's ambassador to the US, said: 'They have had a fantastically successful trip to Canada and they will have a great welcome in California.

'They will meet a huge range of people from the governor to people working in the projects of Skid Row. They will get a good snapshot of life in this part of California.'


Stunning: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Rosario Dawson and model Molly Sims were among the first celebrities to arrive at the polo match



Stunning: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Rosario Dawson and model Molly Sims were among the first celebrities to arrive at the polo match



Here come the boys: Joe Jonas donned a cable knit red cardigan for the event while Billy Zane opted for a smart grey suit


In contrast to the high society events, the royal couple will also go to Skid Row to see how a community arts organisation is helping youngsters in the socially deprived area of down town LA. Inner-City Arts uses visual arts and performance to give homeless and poverty-hit youngsters a creative outlet.

'People just want a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess,' said Los Angeles resident Christian Kang. 'There's so much compassion in both of them. I know they're going to Skid Row, and I think that's very good to see from someone in his position.'

The royal couple's final event before jetting back to the UK will see them attend a jobs fair at Sony Pictures Studio staged by Service Nation: Mission Serve.



Light and bright: Zoe Saldana, Nicolette Sheridan and Alice Eve all opted for neutral tones as they posed for photographers


The body is an umbrella organisation set up by the US government which brings together different service charities to support the re-integration of servicemen and women into civvy street.

Though Prince William has been to America before, it is Kate's first trip to the U.S.

A source close to Catherine told gossip website HollywoodLife.com that the Duchess was 'excited' about the trip but was worried about remembering people's names.

The source said: 'When I spoke with Catherine this morning, she said she is tired and worried about remembering everyone’s names. I told her she was doing well and gave her some tips on how to write them down. She said she’s excited for the day though. She goes to bed early, which is good.'



Gearing up: A slightly nervous-looking William waits to make his speech as Kate looks on



What a joker! William filled his speech with jokes and humour, as well as mentioning his father Prince Charles and brother Prince Harry


But Kate needn't worry about how they are being perceived by people during their nine-day tour of America and Canada, as the royal pair have already been dubbed the 'most polite celebrities ever' after turning down an on-air interview with US radio presenter Ryan Seacrest.

In anticipation of the high-profile visit, the American Idol host had asked his producers to request an interview with the Dike and Duchess to welcome them to Hollywood.

However, shortly after reaching out to them, Seacrest says his producers received what may go down as the 'most pleasant' response to a guest booking ever.



Delicious: Guests were served California chopped salad with parmesan frico and marinated giant shrimp to start followed by Sweet Corn Lasagna with blistered tomatoes and roasted asparagus


Reading out the email he received from one of the couple's representatives, Seacrest relayed: 'It's very kind of you to offer the Duke and Duchess on Ryan's radio show.

'I'm very sorry to say, however, that the couple will not be undertaking any interviews during their tour of Canada and California, or before or immediately after it.

'This is normal practice for members of the royal family when an official overseas visit occurs. Furthermore the Duke and Duchess actually very rarely take part in interviews at all. Sorry to be sending a disappointing response, but hope you enjoy their visit to California.'

Though Secrest had his hopes up for a visit from the Duke and Duchess, he later admitted: 'I knew there wasn't a chance in hell.'



Quick change: Earlier in the week, Catherine was seen wearing a lavender dress by Serbian-born designer Roksanda Illincic (L) before swapping it for a green-belted dress by American designer Diane von Furstenberg



Fashion icon: During the couple's royal tour of Canada, the Duchess wore a variety of colourful outfits, including a quirky cowboy-inspired outfit to watch the rodeo


Prince William and Kate on the Red carpet before charity polo match in Santa Barbara




source: dailymail