5:37am UK, Sunday July 03, 2011
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have helped a terminally-ill man fulfil his dying wish during their tour of Canada.
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When Terry Joyce, 47, from Ottawa was told six weeks ago he had just 12 weeks to live, he decided he wanted to meet Prince William and Kate.
Cancer patient Mr Joyce, pictured shaking the Duchess of Cambridge's hand alongside her husband, told Sky News it was "wonderful to meet them both".
The sensitive gesture took place in the gardens of Rideau Hall in Ottawa, the Governor General's residence.
As the Duke of Cambridge arrived to meet wheelchair bound Mr Joyce, he stood up with assistance to shake William's hand.
The royal couple meet cancer victim Terry Joyce in Ottawa
"Please sit down again, it's a hot day" the Duke of Cambridge insisted, not wanting to cause Mr Joyce any discomfort.
Moments later the Duchess of Cambridge arrived by her husband's side, leaned forward and shook Mr Joyce's hand.
"Very nice to meet you," she told him.
The newlyweds were attending their first tree-planting at the Ottawa residence.
This was the Duchess of Cambridge's first such ceremony since becoming a royal.
The Duchess of Cambridge takes part in tree planting
Kate shovelled two spadefuls of dirt at the base of a Canadian Hemlock tree, which grows for more than 800 years.
The newly planted tree stands just feet from the tree planted by Charles and Diana in 1983, and close to one planted also by the Queen.
Moments later William and Kate met several couples all of whom were married on April 29.
Eleanor and Garth Hampson were married on April 29, 50 years ago.
"What's the secret of such a long marriage", the Duke asked the couple.
"Communication. Keep the lines of communications open", replied the Hampsons.
"Well, the arguments haven't started just yet", the Prince reassured the couple.
Also there to meet the royal newlyweds was Brit Richard Johnson and his Canadian wife Kyle who got married this year on April 29.
"I was ironing my shirt watching the wedding in the morning and by the afternoon I was getting married myself", Mr Johnson told Sky News.
"We picked the date so I'd never forget my wife's wedding anniversary."
William and Kate also met the young William and Kate, aged eight and five.
"I gave his royal highness a picture of him in a helicopter and Kate waving at him" said young William.
"Sorry I don't have a drawing to give back to you." replied the Duke.
The newlyweds also went to the Canadian War Museum where they talked to veterans of the Second World War, Korean War and peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan.
Later they travelled to Montreal on stage two of their nine-day Canadian Tour.
A visit to the Saint-Justine Children's hospital, the largest mother-child centre in Canada, saw the couple meet children and their parents from the neonatal and high-risk pregnancy units.
After taking part in a cookery demonstration at the Quebec Hotel Institute, William and Kate boarded frigate HMCS Montreal for an overnight trip to Quebec City.
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