As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tour Canada in their first official visit, Kate Middleton has admited that she fears for Prince William's safety on search-and-rescue helicopter missions.
The comments were made as the newlyweds spoke to service veterans after laying wreaths at the national war memorial in Ottawa.
The Duchess of Cambridge reportedly told serviceman's wife and former army private Celine Drapeau: "I always worry when William goes off on a mission. I find it very difficult. You always fear for them, not knowing if something is going to happen, and it can be very hard.”
But she added: "My job is to support my husband. You should always support your husband."
And following a warm reception from crowds of supporters in Ottowa, the Royal couple came up against their first experience of anti-Royal feeling during their visit to Montreal.
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Protesters greeted them outside Sainte-Justine University Hospital in Quebec province, with banners saying "Royal parasites go home" and "criminal of war" alongside posters of a crown with a cross through it.
But the much larger group of fans with flowers drowned out their protests with chants of "Will and Kate" as they awaited the arrival of the couple.
Traditionally the centre of the separist movement, Quebec province has not always welcomed Royal visitors.
The Queen has not returned to Quebec city since protesters booed her in 1964, and in 2009 Prince Charles and Camilla's visit to Montreal was marred by scuffles between demonstrators and police.
The Canadian government, which is meeting the bill, says that the extra cost equivalent to £950,000 amounts to only a few cents a head for the country's entire population, but more protests are planned when the couple visit Quebec City today. Security is expected to be even tighter than it was during the visit to Canada's capital, Ottowa.
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The Quebec Resistance Network called for a peaceful demonstration outside City Hall, although a journalist attending the visit tweeted: ‘all quiet at Quebec City Hall, no sign of 300 demonstrators promised. “Get lost William” was slogan of 1 republican group.
The front page of Quebec’s Le Soleil newspaper reported it would be “a big day” with the headline “Le grand jour”
A recent poll showed that more than half of the French-speaking province residents were excited at the prospect from a visit from the Duke and Duchess.
The couple ignored the demonstration and went inside the Sainte-Justine hospital, which utilises pioneering techniques to help vulnerable newborns and treat children recovering from serious illnesses, to meet staff and patients.
First they visited vulnerable newborns in the hospital's premature baby unit, and then spent time with young patients at the centre's cancer wing, conversing with patients in their native French.
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Taking time to speak to each patient in turn, the couple sat on the small chairs, putting them on the same level as the children.
As the pair spoke to two-year-old Jak Kilow in the unit's playroom, the Duke put a reassuring arm around the back of his wife.
The Duchess spoke to 14-year-old cancer patient Laurence Yelle, who had lost her hair after a gruelling course of chemotherapy.
"Kate was so lovely, she spent a lot longer talking to me than I thought she would," the teenager said.
"It was easier than I thought to talk to her, she was the most normal person."
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There was a slightly awkward moment when the royal visitors spoke with 19-year-old Lauri-Bei Emond-Huppee, who has bone and lung cancer.
When the young woman gave Prince William a picture of himself in uniform on his wedding day he joked, "I have less hair now than I did then."
Afterwards the cancer patient said, "I just laughed, but I think he realised his mistake. It didn't matter. He was very caring and asked me about my illness."
Prince William and his wife also prepared a series of dishes at Montreal’s top chef school in Quebec, dressed in chef’s whites, although they managed to avoid wearing the traditional chef’s hats.
The Royal couple's plans for today's visit to Quebec City include a morning prayer with the crew of the naval ship HMCS Montreal.
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Later today the Duke and Duchess will visit Maison Dauphine, which provides assistance to troubled street youth in Quebec, and will attend a Freedom of the City ceremony at Quebec City Hall.
At the end of their day in Quebec City the Royal couple will head to Prince Edward Island for the next leg of their four-province tour. There, Prince William will take part in a coast guard rescue exercise.