SAINT JOHN'S, CANADA - NOVEMBER 03: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (L) and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales laugh during a reception at 'The Rooms' on November 3, 2009 in Saint John's, Newfoundland, Canada. The Royal couple are visiting Canada from November 2 to November 12 and they will participate in commemorations and celebrations that honour Canada's persons, places and events. This is the Prince of Wales's 15th visit to the country; however, it will be the Duchess of Cornwall's fist official visit to a country where she has strong ancestral links. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Quebec to polite cheers but were bracing for jeers later in the day Tuesday.
The royal couple left the airport in Montreal and in a brief, half-day swing through the city, planned to meet Premier Jean Charest, tour the facility where Cirque du soleil acrobats train, visit a zoo, and meet with soldiers.
They were expected to encounter a protest at the end of the day.
Anti-monarchist, pro-Quebec-independence demonstrators promised a rude greeting at the military event later Tuesday. They said the Royal Family had no business being in Quebec, and has been a symbol reviled by French-Canadians for centuries.
Charles has not set foot in the province since he attended the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.
A heavy police presence geared up to ensure the royal couple's safety. Several dozen cops on motorcycles rolled in to stand guard outside the site of Charles's first Quebec stop, at his meeting with the premier.
But there was little sign of protest at that first event. A crowd milling about outside consisted almost exclusively of well-wishers and star-gazers. Several dozen people, many of them toting cameras, excitedly waited outside in anticipation of snapping a photo of the arriving couple.
They cheered heartily when the prince arrived.
"I'm here to see the show - that's all," said Claudine Lefort, who works up the street at McGill University. She was walking by on her lunch break and decided to wait for the visitors.
There was one lone protester at the first event: one man, holding up a Quebec flag, with a T-shirt that said: Quebec Un Pays (Quebec A Country). He got into a heated exchange with a journalist from Toronto when the reporter tried asking questions in English - and he refused to answer.
Inside the meeting with Mr. Charest, they were indeed speaking the language of Moliere.
In his fluent French, Charles thanked the premier for the gift of an Inuit sculpture and a collection of Quebec films on DVD. Mr. Charest pointed to one film in particular - La Grande seduction - as his favourite. The film is about a small remote Quebec community trying to get a doctor.
The day's earlier stop carried fewer political overtones.
In Ottawa, Gov.-Gen. Michaëlle Jean offered Charles a glimpse of the normalcy she strives for at Rideau Hall.
The Prince of Wales was staying on the grounds of Rideau Hall, the usual residence of the royals while in Ottawa, and commented on seeing Ms. Jean's husband Jean-Daniel Lafond walking the dog that morning.
Ms. Jean, who wore a light blue wool suit, confided in the Prince that she sends her daughter Marie-Eden to public school in the area. The two met together for a half-hour with their spouses in Ms. Jean's personal office.
Later, the royal couple met Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen in the sunlit, large drawing room at Rideau Hall.
Four Canadian Rangers stood guard in their trademark red sweaters as the two couples chatted. There are 4,200 rangers in Canada, who help watch over some of the country's most remote northern communities. They are often aboriginals, and will respond to local disasters.
Mr. Harper handed the prince two ranger caps and sweatshirts for his sons.
"Your Highness, as you know we're very proud of our rangers and our rangers program . . . a great group of people who patrol our vast Arctic territory," Mr. Harper said.
"Princes William and Harry are becoming honorary members, so we present this to you as a symbol of their honorary membership."
"I hope they fit," the prince chuckled.
"One-size fits all," Laureen Harper replied.
The prince later met Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff. The two posed before a phalanx of photographers in the sunlit drawing room.
The royal tour was moving on to Montreal for a few hours later in the day, and was then scheduled to be in Petawawa, Ont., and Ottawa on Wednesday for Remembrance Day ceremonies.