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At 11am local time, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at the Sydney Royal Easter show in Olympic Park, on the third day of their 10-day tour of Australia.
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The Sydney Royal Easter Show is an annual fair that brings country life to the city with animals, rides and wood-chopping competitions. It has been a fixture in the calendar of farmers, animal lovers, keen gardeners and the general public since it was first held in 1823.
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Royalty have been associated with the show since Queen Victoria gave permission in 1890 for the event to use the prefix royal in its name.
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They were greeted enthusiastically by a crowd of 150,000 strong.
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The couple was whisked inside to see elaborate displays of produce grouped by Australian regions. Then the pair took in a sheep shearing and wool handling demonstration and met the 2013 Wool4Skool program winner - who designed a dress for the Duchess.
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They also unveiled a plaque to open the new Southee and Badgery Pavilion, a 10,000 square meter building, completed just last week and now home to the Show's arts and crafts, fashion and style, and flower and garden displays.
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Afterwards the couple conducted an impromptu walkabout.
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Next, it was off to Manly Beach, where William and Kate watched a demonstration of surf life-saving skills by 15-year-olds taking part in the New South Wales Surf Life Saving Nippers’ club.
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After that, they went on a walkabout but kept their shoes on.
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Before they left, they were presented with a surf board, inscribed with a message: Greetings from Manly, Surf City Australia. It was given to them by the mayor of Manly.
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Next on the agenda, was a visit to Bear Cottage, a children's hospice in Manly, which provides palliative care for sick and dying young people. It is one of only two centers in Australia that provides this type of care to children.
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The Duke and Duchess met a number of families, but it was the 10 and a half-month-old Max McIntyre son of journalists Amy and Rob McIntyre that brought them to tears.
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Max, who was in perfectly good health until developing bacterial meningitis six weeks ago, has suffered brain damage and doctors have given him only weeks to live.
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The Duchess unveiled a picture, made with handprints and footprints of the children at the hospice - and Max's feet had been used to create much of it.
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After meeting some newly-hatched chicks, that staff use as pets for the children, Kate went into the garden for a sing-a-long.
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They spent so much time there, they ran behind schedule-but wanted to meet as many families and children as possible.
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Finally, Kate gave her first speech of the tour.
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The Duchess wore a gorgeous white, cut-out detail broderie anglaise Roamer Day Dress by Australian designer Zimmermann. This is the first Australian designer she's worn since arriving Down Under.
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The frock features a round neck with no collar, elbow-length sleeves and an exposed zipper.
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The dress is part of the designers Swim 2014 Collection, however it will not be released until June as the frock is from Zimmerman's summer swim 2014 collection, which doesn't drop in stores until June. It will retail for it will retail for AUD$495 or £275. There is, however talk that the dress' release date might be pushed forward due to popular demand. For additional info and pre-order email the designer at
onlinestore@zimmermannwear.com
Zimmerman
Last month, Australian movie star, Naomi Watts was seen wearing it.
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Stuart Weitzman
LK Bennett
Givenchy
Completing her outfit, Kate wore her Stuart Weitzman 'Minx' raffia wedges, her LK Bennett 'Natalie' clutch, Givenchy (SGV 773) and her Annoushka Pearl Drop earrings. She wore her hair in her signature bouncy curls.
Annoushka
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