Yukoners arrived en masse this morning to greet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in downtown Whitehorse and show off some of the territory’s top young talent as a street festival began on Front Street.

Thousands lined Front Street outside the MacBride Museum of Yukon History early this morning, anxious for the arrival of the royals at around 9 a.m.

As they waited, many held their Canadian flags tightly, ready to proudly wave the maple leaf as they welcomed Prince William and Kate Middleton.

After arriving Tuesday evening and taking in a performance at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, the couple began their time downtown today by first heading into the museum (see p. 2).

For many students in the city, the visit marked a rare moment to see and perhaps shake hands with the royals, not to mention some time off school.

Standing at the end of the crowd before the arrival, Crystal Stephen described it as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.

“It was a given” she would bring her two older daughters to take in the visit, even if it meant they missed some school time, seeing just how rare it is to glimpse the royal couple in person.

“It’s really exciting,” said her oldest daughter, Brooke, age 9.

While Brooke’s eight-year-old sister was quiet, the smile on her face was enough to note her thrill in getting to see a royal who shares the same name – Kate.

Stephen said she hopes Prince William and Kate get a chance to appreciate the beauty of the territory and warmth of its people during their short stay.

The motorcade of black vehicles pulled up to the museum and the doors opened. Cheers erupted through the crowd as the royals made their way up the steps of the museum greeted by local dignitaries, officials and organizations.

Many of the kids in the crowd enjoyed a view from their parents’ shoulders, including Kassia Kelly, who said she “really, really wanted see a princess.”

As her dad, Jason, said, it’s not often there is a royal visit in town.

So, given Kassia’s enthusiasm, he and Kassia’s mom decided they would bring their daughter downtown for it.

“I thought it was really cool,” Kassia said of seeing the royal couple.

As Yukoners waited for Prince William and Kate Middleton to emerge from the museum, local performers took to the main stage set up on Front Street at Main Street.

Approximately 20 vendors, past the tent, offered their wares, ranging from coffee to maple taffy and other goodies to letting people know about their organizations.

Locally printed T-shirts marking the royal visit to the Yukon were also up for sale, as were flowers for those.

Canadian flags made their way through the crowd, as did the Union Jack colours of red, white and blue in the form of balloons for local schools and groups that had brought kids down to the event.

The territory’s own Rendezvous royalty was also on hand for the festivities, with Rendezvous Queen Brooke Graham and Madisyn Millar discussing their excitement about the royal visit to the territory.

Millar noted she was also pleased to be at the airport last evening for the couple’s arrival.

“It’s pretty cool,” she said, adding it’s the first time she’s seen any royalty in person.

Graham said she hopes the couple comes away from the Yukon with a sense of the community spirit that exists in the territory; that this is a place where people come together for one another and are proud of the region.

“We’re proud of our heritage, which includes the royals,” she said.

Some of the local shops along the royal route also got in on the action today with photo booths and displays outside and inside their stores celebrating the visit.

Meanwhile, groups like the Whitehorse Family History Centre also used the visit as an opportunity to let people know about their work.

The Whitehorse Family History Centre, for example, invited Yukoners to their weekly sessions that explore how to organize family history. This week’s session was set, of course, to look at royal connections.

“A lot of people are connected to royalty in some way,” director Gail Nunn said.

Then she laughed, noting that her only link to any royalty is that her sister was once crowned Rendezvous Queen in Whitehorse.

As the crowds continued to grow waiting for the royal couple to walk the official fenced-off route, they took in fiddle, dance and other musical performances by local youth.

The special couple came out of the museum to walk the route down Front to Main, first taking in the visual art exhibits and meeting young carvers and artists with local arts groups and visiting the Healing Totem that is dedicated to the healing of residential school survivors.

The royal party slowly made its way along the route down Front and up Main to Second Avenue.

Prince William greeted the royal enthusiasts lined up five rows deep on one side of the street, while Kate Middleton did the same on the other side of the street. They moved slowly, stopping to shake hands and chat with those in the crowd.

The excitement was clear as they moved down the route, the crowd cheering and waving flags, holding their phones and cameras up, snapping away to get those perfect shots.

As the royals reached the end of the route at Main and Second Avenue, they spoke briefly with local dignitaries – Commissioner Doug Phillips, Yukon MP Larry Bagnell, Premier Darrell Pasloski, Mayor Dan Curtis and others before bidding the crowd farewell with a final wave.

They then got into their waiting vehicles and were off to their next Yukon stop in Carcross where, they were to spend this afternoon taking in festivities there.

As the royal party drove away, the crowd dispersed, with many heading to the main stage to take in performances that are set to continue through the day.

Others gathered in small groups to exchange stories of their brush with royalty.

“I’m just shaking with excitement,” said Alie Turanich-Noyen, who said she lucked out in getting a spot near the front of the crowd after she arrived at around 8:20 a.m.

That spot meant she got to see Kate Middleton up close and take in a chat the Duchess had with some of those close by. At times, Turanich-Noyen said, she had to put her phone down just so she could “be in the moment.”

The Duchess’ elegance and poise are admirable, she said, describing the Duchess as even “more beautiful in person.”

The royal couple will head back to British Columbia this evening for the duration of their Canadian visit, which will end Saturday in Victoria.