On the second day of their North American tour, Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton arrived in a open horse-drawn carriage in Ottawa’s square at Parliament Hill for a celebration of Canada Day.

Prince William & Kate Middleton Take Cooking Class in Montreal (PHOTOS)

The celebration took place in front of hundreds of thousands of people, making the day bigger than ever:

“There must be five times more people here than normal,” says observer Sheila Ward, who works in the human resources department at Public Safety Canada in Ottawa. “And it’s because of Will and Kate. They are the main attraction. They are a wonderful, wonderful couple.”

The ever-so-stylish Kate was dressed in a cream Reiss dress, the same one she wore for her official engagement photos, along with a maple leaf brooch she borrowed from Queen Elizabeth herself. She topped off the charming outfit with a bright red maple leaf fascinator by Sylvia Fletcher at Lock and Co.

Prince William & Kate Middleton Arrive In Canada (PHOTOS)

William spoke in French at times during his speech expressing his excitement:

“She heard about Canada not from her parents, but from her grandfather, a wonderful man who passed away last year. “[He] held this country dear to his heart, for he trained in Alberta as a young pilot during the Second World War.”

Calling the event “a day of unity,” William continued:

“Catherine and I especially are so thrilled and excited by the prospect of the next eight days of being part of the Canadian family. It will be an adventure that we’ll never forget.”

What a special day for the both of them and for Canada. And on a lighter note, could Kate look any better? That hat! Obsessed!

Prince William & Kate Middleton Celebrate Canada Day Photos

[images: WENN]