Prince William and Kate welcomed to Northwest Territories
(CBS/AP) Updated 4:35 p.m. EDT
YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories - After a friendly dragon boat race and a demonstration in a rescue helicopter on Prince Edward Island, Prince William and Kate made their way to the Northwest Territories for the sixth day of their Canadian tour.
Prince William demonstrated his linguistic skills and a lack of hockey experience Tuesday, addressing adoring fans in Canada's Northwest Territories in French, English and few words of the aboriginal Dene tongue.
Pictures: William and Kate visit Northwest Territories
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Pictures: William and Kate continue Canada tour
Wearing a traditional dark suit, the duke spoke briefly during the welcoming ceremony at the Somba K'e Civic Plaza in Yellowknife, the sparsely populated capital of the Northwest Territories, the latest stop of his nine-day Canadian tour with his wife, Kate.
"This place is what Canada is all about - vast, open beauty, tough, resilient, friendly peoples, true nature, true humanity," the prince said with Kate seated besides him. "We've already sensed the extraordinary potential of this region and the irrepressible spirit of adventure that marks the people of the territories and defines the land. We are so excited to be here."
He concluded by saying thank you in the Dene language, provoking loud cheering from the crowd.
Later in the day, Prince William participated in street hockey game. He was given three unobstructed shots but was unable to land the puck in the net.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as the couple is formally known, started their day watching native dancers in fur-trimmed parkas perform to the beat of tribal drums.
Wading into the crowd of thousands stationed behind barricades, Kate - wearing a light-beige, knee-length dress designed by Malene Birger - and her husband, shook the hands of those patiently hoping to get a close-up of royalty.
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On the sixth day of their nine-day trip to Canada, part of the first official overseas trip for the couple who wed on April 29, they participated in several activities including the demonstration of aboriginal games and regional Arctic sports.
The couple will also fly by float plane to nearby Blachford Lake, where they are scheduled to take a canoe trip and meet members of the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, reservists who patrol Canada's desolate northwest.
Their tour of the Arctic region wraps up with a meeting with Aboriginal elders. The couple will also visit a "bush" university where students learn about northern Aboriginal culture and governance.
William and Kate arrived in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, to rain on Monday evening, after spending the day on Prince Edward Island.
Along with the boat racing and helicopter demonstration, the couple also met with an actress who plays the fictional star Anne of Green Gables (of the classic Canadian novel for which Prince Edward Island is famed) and greeted crowds in a walkabout.
On Wednesday morning, William and Kate will leave for the northern Alberta town of Slave Lake, heavily damaged by a wildfire in May, to meet with residents who were affected by the fires. Following that visit, the couple will enjoy a private day to relax before concluding their nine-day visit at Alberta's Calgary Stampede on Friday.
