Kate Middleton Meets Little Princesses and Helps Plant a Tree With Prince William—See the Pics!

Royals visit Echo Point, The Three Sisters and other areas affected by the Blue Mountain bush fires

By Zach Johnson Apr 17, 2014 11:34 AMTags
Prince William, Kate MiddletonChris Jackson/Getty Images

Australia sure has a lot to offer!

On Thursday, Prince William, 31, and Kate Middleton, 32, met with residents and emergency workers who had been affected by the Blue Mountain bush fires in 2013. The royal couple's first stop was at Winmalee Guide Hall for a luncheon. Afterward, they planted a tree with the Winmalee Girl Guides.

Middleton looked lovely as ever in a Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress and Stuart Weitzman wedges.

The royals posed for a photo with the group of Girl Guides, who all shouted "Princess!" instead of "Cheese!'" Middleton even chatted with a few little girls who were dressed as fairy tale princesses.

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After bidding adieu, the famous Brits traveled to Echo Point, where they met with three Aboriginal Elders representing the area's indigenous landowners. The trio gave Their Royal Highnesses a possum skin cloak for Prince George, 8 months, and the couple received a kangaroo coat. "That's fantastic. Thank you very much," William said after accepting George's gift. "He'll love that—very warm."

According to Elder Aunty Sharon Brown, chairwoman of the Gundungurra Tribal Council, babies are traditionally given possum cloaks at birth. For every milestone, another pelt is added to each garment.

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Next on the itinerary: visiting Narrow Neck Lookout, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met young people taking part in adventure programs, including abseiling and team building exercises.

The royals scoped out the scenery at The Three Sisters, one of the country's most iconic landmarks. At one point, William peered over the 100-meter cliff as he watched abseilers drop to the bush below.

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"He took a bit of a lunge and a few people held their breath, gasped and readied their hands to grab him," Damien Cooper, manager of the Blue Mountains Youth Service, told Australia's Daily Telegraph. "He was fine, of course, he knew what he was doing. I think his military background prepared him well for it." Tim Williams of the Blue Mountains Adventure Company added, "He was very calm on the edge; he didn't worry about the safety briefing to stay a fair distance back. "He just stepped up to have a cool look over. He said it would be nice to come back another time and have a go himself. They were both keen, it was just their attire that held them back. It's a bit difficult to abseil in a suit and dress."

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The royals then returned to Admiralty House in Sydney, where William chatted with Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the drawing room. The Duke said he had "a very good day" sightseeing. "There were some incredible stories," the future King of England added. Abbott said local residents were concerned that potential tourists might avoid the area, believing that it was still damaged from the fires. "It's amazing how quickly the bush recovers and there's still businesses, attractions," the politician said.

Abbott later tweeted about his one-on-one experience with William, writing, "Great to meet with the Duke of Cambridge today - Looking forward to other events with the visiting Royals over Easter."