The Duke Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton launched the Calgary Stampede to wild cheering on Friday, then headed for Los Angeles, having endeared themselves to Canadian crowds with a skillful mix of royal pomp and playful informality on their first official trip abroad since marrying.The pair, sporting white cowboy hats, waved from their car at crowds of well-wishers lined 10 deep along the 4.5-kilometer parade route under sunny skies. They later joined hands and pushed a red button to launch the parade, one of the world's largest.
The Calgary Stampede is a 10-day exhibition and rodeo that celebrates the western Canadian way of life.Canada is the first official overseas trip for the couple since their April 29 wedding, and the newlyweds were cheered almost everywhere they went. They celebrated Canada Day with hundreds of thousands on Parliament Hill, did an impromptu walkabout in Quebec City, raced in dragon boats on bucolic Prince Edward Island and went canoeing in the wilds of the Northwest Territories.William's consoling hug and Kate's playful response, she shoved the prince as if to push him into the water, revealed their competitive, loving and fun side, and warmed Canadians' hearts.Both of them have charmed the people of Canada a great deal.
