On tour, Duchess Kate met 6-year-old cancer patient

Video: Will and Kate back in UK after Calif. trip

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   >> back home in england today following their whirlwind weekend in california . the duke and duchess did not disappoint their legions of fans in the golden state . nbc's peter alexander covered the royal visit and he's in los angeles this morning with the details.

   >> everyone would agree this was a near flawless trip. all said and done they were on the ground here in the u.s. for barely 48 hours . finding a delicate balance between business and pleasure. in the process making a pretty good first impression on their american hosts. a picture perfect finale to william and kate 's first american tour. the duke and duchess for cambridge saving their most meaningful stops for last.

   >> thank you for coming!

   >> reporter: visiting underprivileged children at this inner city arts program. the newlyweds seemed at ease enjoying their creative side putting their hands together in slabs of clay. later the royals showed their support at a job fair for american veterans.

   >> enormous that they're here. they are a military family and they are the most celebrated military family in the world.

   >> reporter: the couple began sunday minkling with the likes of reese witherspoon at 1a luncheon protecting wildlife. then a black tie affair . kate stunning the alexander the queen, earrings on loan from queen elizabeth hess. and there for the only time in america , they pause to greet a few fans. among the celebrities rubbing elbows with the future king and queen of england , tom hanks , barbra streisand , and nicole kidman .

   >> when they get together magic happens.

   >> reporter: saturday morning the couple helicoptered into santa barbara for a charity polo match, breezing down the red carpet .

   >> my father, the prince of wales, and my brother harry, were green as the grass outside when i told them i would be here today.

   >> reporter: the prince put on a show, scoring four goals to lead his team to victory. his reward, a rare public kiss. their admirers were schmidt ten.

   >> i get goose bumps .

   >> my breath was taken away, for sure.

   >> why are americans fascinated by your royalty?

   >> because they're untouchable, exclusive. whenever they come to america they sprinkle fairy dust .

   >> reporter: the royal couple charmed crowds during their entire tour. kate 's effortless style on display at every stop. and on their final day, the duchess so, returned it to their host, calling the farewell performance, beautiful. and for their trans atlantic flight home william and kate did not take a private jet . instead they flew commercial, british airways , of course, to present themselves as a thoroughly modern royal couple.

   >>> nbc news royal contributor covered william and catherine's trip to north america . robert, good morning.

   >> good morping.

   >> i think i knee the answer to this question but based on what you saw, how were they received in california ?

   >> i think it was a fantastic reception. they really did a great performance and dit themselves proud. after all, this was their first ever royal tour together. i thought catherine in particular was fantastic.

   >> i know william really impressed you with some of the remarks he made during this visit.

   >> i think william himself is showing that he's growing into this role. he did actually say to me when i met him in canada that he can't wait to get home because he wants to lie down in a darkened room in his farm house in north wales . fantastic on this trip. he has shown that he's a class about.

   >> aobviously had the spotlight on them for days now. this was kate 's first visit to the united states . she's never even been to new york. does she seem to be adjusting to the spotlight as well as she appears to?

   >> i think she in public certainly looks very, very poised and exceptionally good at what she does. in private when i met her back in canada she was a little more nervous, a little bit more hesitant about what she was doing. i think she's going to grow into the role and they're going to be a star team together.

   >> one of the things william and kate did was visit an art kids in l.a.'s skid row . why was this important to them?

   >> this is very important. it goes back to the days of diana when william was a little boy and diana took him to these down and out centers in london and he met people living on the streets. he's never forgotten that. he wants to make sure that it's not all about glitz and glamour , that you're highlighting the needy dacauses, too.

   >> i notice they flew commercial back to england . i guess that's part of that approach. obviously they have the glamour that the royalty has but want to keep in touch with the everyday people .

   >> that goes back to diana . she stuarted flying economy which was upset to the royals because they had to start doing it itself.

   >> kate reflected that into her fashions. how did her look go over in california ?

   >> i think she looked extremely beautiful, very poised. she's clever the way she picks all of these out fitses. when she was in canada she was wearing canadian designers, in america , she wore an american designer, too.

   >> thank you.

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