Britain´s Prince William and Kate visit Canada

VICTORIA, Canada: Britain´s Prince William and his wife Kate were to arrive in British Columbia Saturday for an eight-day trip during which they will view spectacular nature sites and meet with refugees and indigenous Americans.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie were to receive the royals around 4:00 pm (2300 GMT) at a ceremony with military honors and a 21-gun salute.

"Canadians have tremendous affection for the royal family," said Trudeau, who was received by the British and Canadian head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, at Buckingham Palace early this year.

The prince and his wife first visited Canada five years ago. This time they will take in the natural beauty of Canada´s Pacific coast, heading as far north as the rugged Yukon territory, and will also meet with indigenous people.

The royal couple´s son Prince George, who is three, and his 16-month-old sister Charlotte will stay with their nanny in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

Royal fever has taken hold in Victoria, where the provincial parliament has been decorated to welcome the British couple.

They will stay at a luxurious Victorian mansion that is the home of the governor general, the queen´s representative in Canada.

Accompanied by the Trudeaus, they will begin their visit in earnest on Sunday in Vancouver by visiting a shelter for refugees and a home for children with mental disabilities.

Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, will also go with Sophie Trudeau to meet with women living at a drug rehabilitation residence. Vancouver has seen a spike in overdoses involving the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl.

The rest of the visit will take William and Kate to the island of Bella-Bella for a traditional indigenous ceremony at the foot of a totem poll, then for a hike through a rainforest before heading north to the city of Whitehorse in the Yukon, a wild, mountainous territory with a sparse population.