By The Canadian Press

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet moms battling addiction in Vancouver

Sep 25, 2016 | 8:56 PM

VANCOUVER — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met several mothers who are dealing with drug and alcohol addictions on Sunday in Vancouver as the first full day of their Canadian tour focused on social issues and areas where they have worked.

The couple’s first stop was to the city’s gritty Downtown Eastside, where they met several mothers and their children who are part of a unique program at Sheway for women with children or who are pregnant and also have drug and alcohol addictions.

The couple toured the facility, sat down to tea and scones and even got comfortable in the play area while toddlers and infants played around them.

A staff member introduced the couple to a five-year-old girl, who gave them each teddy bears. “George would love this,” William said, referring to his son as he accepted a teddy bear in a black vest.

When the tour started in Victoria on Saturday, Prince William told thousands at an official welcoming ceremony that he and Kate want to meet as many Canadians from as many walks of life as possible during their visit, highlighting the environment, support for young families and mental health initiatives as areas they are interested in learning more about.

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The royal couple have been advocates for mental health services in the United Kingdom. They launched a mental health campaign called Heads Together in the U.K. earlier this year to reduce the stigma around mental illness and raise funds for support services.

The couple, who travelled Sunday without Prince George and Princess Charlotte, left Victoria on a float plane and arrived at Vancouver’s Jack Poole Plaza, where several hundred royal fans gave them a noisy welcome.

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and representatives of First Nations greeted them on the wharf.

The royal couple were dressed semi-formally for their visit to Vancouver, with William wearing a blazer and tie. Kate was wearing a red-and-white patterned dress by the late British designer Alexander McQueen, with her hair down, red shoes and a red purse.

The pair walked down a pathway through the crowd shaking hands and taking flowers, as well-wishers frantically snapped photos on their iPhones and cameras.

William greeted one side of the crowd while Kate spoke on the other. Both spent time talking with people and appeared to be trying to shake hands with everyone they could. As the pair finally got into a vehicle and left in a motorcade, there were cheers and cries of “Kate! Kate!”

A small crowd gathered outside the Sheway outreach centre in hopes of seeing or even speaking with the duke and duchess.

Tamara Gardner, from the Vancouver suburb of Maple Ridge, brought along her 15-year-old daughter, Victoria, for the visit.

The pair held a bright neon sign with a picture of the Queen, taken at Windsor Castle on Easter Sunday.

“It’s very exciting,” Gardner said. “And it’s special to see them with my daughter.”

Ward’s sign did attract the prince and he shook Ward’s hand, who broke into tears.

Some of the spectators came dressed for the occasion.

Five-year-old Keira Latta sported a Snow White dress under her fleece poncho. Her grandmother, Nadine Ward, had a novelty crown perched on her head.

“I just love the royals. I have a whole living room filled with books and magazines about them,” Ward said.

William and Kate were also scheduled to stop Sunday at the Immigrant Service Society, host a reception for young Canadians making important contributions to their communities, and get a first-hand look at the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station.

The coast guard station may hold some special interest for Prince William, who works as a pilot for East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Laura Kane and Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press