Prince William, Kate undeterred by Quebec protests (AP)

QUEBEC CITY – Prince William and Kate thrilled hundreds of adoring fans with an unscheduled walkabout Sunday in a city that was the site of the key British victory in the conquest of the French — a historical event not forgotten by French-speaking separatists protesting nearby.

The newlyweds were on the fourth day of a nine-day trip to Canada, part of their first official overseas trip since their April 29 wedding.

The visit hit a nerve among French-speaking separatists. Prince William and Kate had a private lunch at the Citadelle, a fortified residence where the British flag was raised at the end of the pivotal 1759 Battle of Quebec, when British forces defeated the French to seal the conquest of New France.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are officially known, encountered small but vocal protests for the second straight day during their visit to predominantly French-speaking Quebec, following protests in Montreal.

"What they've seen in Quebec, in Montreal the last two days is, for them, just part of the rich fabric of Canada and in no way detracts from how much they respect and admire the country," said the couple's spokesman, Miguel Head. He added that the couple have been impressed by the welcome they've received.

"They've very much fallen in love with the country," Miguel said.

The jeers contrasted with the start of the royal couple's Canadian trip in the largely English-speaking capital, Ottawa, where they were cheered by tens of thousands of people on Friday's Canada Day holiday.

Quebec separatists are angry that Canada still has ties to the monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is still the country's head of state.

Police were out in force in downtown Quebec City. About 200 protesters, some wearing black and waving flags, demonstrated about two blocks from City Hall, where Prince William, a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot, attended a ceremony to honor and inspect the Royal 22e Regiment, the most famous French-speaking unit in the Canadian military.

A larger crowd of several hundred supporters, chanting "Will and Kate" were allowed closer to City Hall and greeted the royal motorcade with loud cheers when it arrived.

After a military band played the first six bars of "God Save the Queen," Prince William made brief remarks entirely in French.

"You, the Quebecois et Quebecoise, have such vitality and a remarkable pride. We are simply delighted to be here," he said. "Thank you for your patience with my accent, and I hope that we will have the chance to get to know each other over the years to come. Until the next time. See you soon."

The crowd laughed when he mentioned his accent and then started cheering. Undeterred by the nearby protesters, Prince William and Kate further charmed the Quebeckers with an unexpected walkabout. The royal couple went to the barricade, chatting and shaking hands with enthusiastic supporters in the square around City Hall before leaving by motorcade.

Alexandra Powell, a 20-year-old French-Canadian, said the royal couple greeted her with "Bonjour" before she shook Kate's hand.

"I think it's a childhood dream to be a princess and meet the monarchy," said Powell. "I'm still shaking a little bit."

Police set up barriers to keep the protesters away from City Hall, but the demonstrators brought a pickup truck with audio equipment and speakers to amplify their chants. They carried signs reading "Pay your own way" and "The monarchy, it's over."

The protesters chanted "RRQ," the initials of the anti-monarchist, separatist group, Reseau de Resistance du Quebecois, or Quebecker Resistance Network, which organized the protests in Montreal and Quebec City.

"We do not recognize the authority, the legitimacy of the Crown, of the monarchy here in Quebec and it's not a national symbol for us," said Maxime Laporte of the RRQ.

"It's rather a symbol of imperialism, of war crimes against humanity, against our people."

The group claimed responsibility for a banner carrying the slogan "Vive le Quebec libre" that flew from an airplane over Quebec City for an hour.

"I came today because I think it's important to show that we don't agree that our money still pays for an old symbol," said Stephanie Rainville, 22. "I think it's to show the generations coming that the fight is not over."

The newlyweds arrived in Quebec City Sunday morning on a Canadian navy frigate after an overnight trip from Montreal down the picturesque St. Lawrence Seaway.

Prince William and Kate sang hymns as they took part in a bilingual interfaith prayer service on the deck of the HMCS Montreal after it docked in Quebec City. They then headed ashore for a meeting with residents of La Maison Dauphine, a center that helps homeless youths.

In a nod to Quebeckers, Kate wore a dark blue lace Jacquenta dress by the designer Erdem. It was the second time during the trip that she wore a dress from the collection of the Montreal-born, London-based Erdem Moralioglu. She later wore a cream-colored Vanessa sleeveless crepe dress by Joseph at an event at Forts-de-Levis that was attended by several hundred supporters. The couple did a longer walkabout there.

The fort, built between 1865 and 1872, completed a defense network protecting Quebec from a possible U.S. land invasion.

A 2009 visit by Prince William's father, Prince Charles, to Montreal was disrupted by more than 200 separatist protesters. The protesters sat in the street, blocking the prince's way into a ceremony planned at an armory, and threw eggs at the soldiers who were accompanying him and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall. The couple were forced to enter the building through a back door and missed an elaborate welcoming ceremony that had been planned.

In 1990, Canada Day celebrations were disrupted briefly by protesters from Quebec who booed and turned their back on Queen Elizabeth.

New Canadian citizens still pledge allegiance to the queen during their swearing-in ceremony.

Support for the separatists among Quebeckers has been on the decline in recent years as the 80-percent French-speaking province has enjoyed plenty of autonomy even without quitting Canada.

"As far as I'm concerned they're welcome here anytime. These young people need a chance. If their ancestors messed up, they need a chance to be forgiven," said John Harbour, 58, a French-Canadian master mariner, who was among dozens of onlookers hoping for a glimpse of the royal couple at the Quebec City waterfront.

The royal couple arrived later Sunday at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. They leave Canada for a three-day trip to California on July 8.

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Associated Press Writer Rob Gillies in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, contributed to this story.

Royals Quebec visit attracts protests (AFP)

MONTREAL (AFP) – Hardline separatists plan to protest Prince William and Kate Middleton's visit to Quebec next month, saying the future British monarch symbolizes Canadian federalism and Anglo-Saxon dominance.

The separatist Quebecois Network of Resistance (RRQ) plans to organize a rally at noon on Sunday, July 3 at the Quebec City Hall, using the slogan "William, Get Lost!" as its rallying cry.

The protest is expected to coincide with the royal couple attending a ceremony intended to showcase the relationship between the Royal 22nd Regiment, Canada's best-known Francophone military regiment, and Quebec City.

"If Prince William and Princess Catherine want to come to Quebec as British citizens for a honeymoon they pay for themselves, we don't have a problem with it," RRQ leader Patrick Bourgeois told AFP.

"But if they come at the invitation of the Canadian federal government, which wants to offend and humiliate Quebec separatists, we will be there."

Bourgeois sees Prince William's visit as a purely political operation designed by the federal government to show the world that Quebec knows its place within Canada.

He is seeking a repeat of 2009, when demonstrations forced a visiting Prince Charles -- Prince William's father -- to enter a military barracks in downtown Montreal by the back door.

Years before, on October 10, 1964, police armed with nightsticks charged a crowd of students and separatists protesting Queen Elizabeth's visit to Quebec in an incident remembered as "Truncheon Saturday."

Quebec and most of the Lawrence River area was occupied by French colonizers starting in the 16th century. Britain, which had colonies further south, disputed the French control.

After several conflicts, many fought with help from their respective Indian allies, Britain wrested control of the region from France in the 1763 Treaty of Paris at the end of the Seven Years' War.

Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth, has been independent since the 1930s even though the queen remains the formal head of state.

Referendums for an independent Quebec were held twice, in 1980 and 1995, and separatists lost each time, although by a very narrow margin in the latest round. Though weakened by its defeat at the polls and internal fighting, the separatist movement is still hoping for a third chance with voters.

According to opinion polls, two thirds of Canadians would like to break institutional links with the British crown.

The British royalty, however, has ardent supporters of its own, represented by the Monarchist League of Canada, which claims 10,000 members, including 500 in Quebec, said provincial spokesman Etienne Boisvert.

Boisvert, whose French ancestors arrived in Quebec in the 16th and 17th centuries, conceded that France and Britain have a history of difficult ties.

But, he said, it was the British who "brought a parliamentary system of government, democracy and the doctrine of individual rights to North America."

He called the monarchy a "feudal institution that knew how to reinvent itself."

And the fact that the queen lives 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) away is not a concern for him, as she is represented in Canada by the governor general, David Lloyd Johnston.

In monarchist circles, people have proposed making a member of the royal family head each one of the 16 Commonwealth realms.

"Prince Harry, who has virtually no chance of becoming king, could set himself up here and found a Canadian branch of the monarchy," Boisvert speculated. "Or the future king could rotate -- six months in Canada, six in Australia, six in London."