There were hundreds of them.

Yukoners of all stripes gathered at Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport to catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who arrived slightly behind schedule early Tuesday evening.

There were royalists and foreign students; kids, parents and seniors. Many had smartphones in hand, ready to snap a photo of the famous visitors.

The waning day was grey and brisk, but the energy was electric.

“I think the royal couple is just fantastic,” said Marion Thomsen, a Yukoner for 27 years and a big fan of the royal family.

Thomsen leaned against the metal barrier fence, draped with a Union Jack, next to Yanory Centeno and Grettel Smeeton, two transplants from Costa Rica.

“Will and Kate, they are young people and they’re doing a lot of community service,” said Centeno.

“They’re more independent,” added Smeeton. “More fresh ideas.”

Centeno and Smeeton had been waiting for nearly three hours to see the royal couple, and they would wait about an hour longer.

Prince William and Kate finally touched down shortly before 6:30 p.m., for their first trip to the territory as a couple.

Will and Kate, as they’re known by most, were all smiles and waves as they descended the Canadian government aircraft after having spent the afternoon in Kelowna, B.C.

(Will looked dapper in a navy blue sport jacket and trim khaki pants, and Kate was elegant, as always, in a forest-green coat and nude heels.)

The royal couple was greeted by a gaggle of notable Yukoners: MP Larry Bagnell, Premier Darrell Pasloski, Peter Johnston, the Council of Yukon First Nations’ grand chief, Senator Dan Lang and Mayor Dan Curtis, to name a few.

Gov. Gen. David Johnston, no relation to the grand chief, travelled to Whitehorse for the occasion.

“Something about this part of the country humbles and inspires us, and forces us to discover new things,” the Governor General said from a podium set up on the tarmac.

“That’s an example all Canadians and indeed people from around the world can learn from.”

He thanked the royal couple for travelling to the Yukon “to show your support for the great people of northern Canada.”

Reem Arafat, the second-youngest daughter of Whitehorse’s first family of refugees from Syria, gave Kate a bouquet of flowers.

Members of the Canadian Rangers and Junior Rangers were on hand, and stood in formation as the prince did an inspection.

The Canadian Rangers, a branch of the Canadian Armed Forces reserve, are “Canada’s eyes and ears up here, and so much more,” said Gov. Gen. Johnston, who is also commander in chief of the Canadian military.

William and his brother, Harry, were made honourary Rangers in 2009.

The Junior Rangers are made up of girls and boys aged 12 to 18 who live in remote communities.

After the brief welcoming ceremony, the royal couple was escorted into a black SUV (part of a 10-plus vehicle motorcade) and driven out of the airport grounds.

They rolled past the cheering crowd and toward the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre for a performance in their honour.

At the cultural centre, Doris Bill, chief of Kwanlin Dün First Nation, and Kristina Kane, chief of Ta’an Kwach’an Council, welcomed the popular young couple.

The pair were then led to the Longhouse, where they were treated to a story from storyteller Louise Profeit-Leblanc of the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun and music from Yukon performers and bands Ryan McNally, Anger Management, Sarah MacDougall, Borealis Soul, Old Cabin and Manfred Janssen.

Kim Winnicky produced the show and selected the acts, and Brian Fidler directed.

“Everyone was really connected, we all came out and watched ourselves, watched each other and that was a really nice way of really boosting up our confidence and not being nervous about the audience, the honoured guests,” said Fidler.

The idea was to showcase the diversity of culture and talent that exists in the Yukon, he said.

“I felt like the royal couple really enjoyed it; they were very warm about it.”

The Duke offered a few unscheduled words of praise to the audience for the talent he and his wife had just enjoyed.

After the performances, as nightfall set in, Will and Kate ventured outside to meet the artists and show organizers around the bonfire pit, facing the Yukon River.

They shook hands and exchanged words with each group. Performers giggled and wore expressions of joy as the couple complimented their acts.

“They were very warm and they really found something to say to each of the performers that was genuine and authentic, and didn’t seem like off of a script,” said Fidler.

“They seem to just enjoy talking to people, which is nice.”

Fiona Solon of Old Cabin agreed.

“They’re really nice,” she said after meeting the couple.

“They actually said that they were tapping their toes the whole time.”

Will told Solon he wasn’t expecting to see so much music in the Yukon.

“Kate had mentioned that she thought Will was going to get up and start breakdancing,” she said.

This morning, the Duke and Duchess visited MacBride Museum and attended a street party downtown before driving out to Carcross.

In Carcross, they were to receive a traditional welcome and watch a mountain biking demonstration on Montana Mountain.

The couple’s two children are remaining in B.C. during their parents’ Yukon foray.

This is the territory’s first royal visit since April 2001, when Prince Charles – the Duke’s father – came.

See coverage of the royal visit to Carcross in Thursday’s edition.