Kate Middleton and Prince William visit Canada (PHOTOS)

Britain's royal newlyweds showed their international appeal by capturing headlines during their visit to Canada, their first overseas trip as a married couple. 

Kate and Will's 12-day journey around the former British colony and California is very busy. 

Taking off from London's Heathrow International Airport on the Royal Canadian Air Force plane, the couple changed from comfortable traveling clothes to their chic arrival outfits. Kate stepped off the plane at the Macdonald-Cartier International Airport in Ottawa, Canada wearing a dark blue, fitted dress while Will wore a navy blue suit.

Kate is widely credited with strategically planning her outfits to highlight the historic bonds Britain has with Canada. On Canada Day, she donned a chic, red hat complete with a maple leaf, Canada's national symbol.  

(Check out photos of Kate's new life as a duchess in GlobalPost's photo gallery, The Duchess Diaries) 

In contrast to more fashionable dresses she has worn on her Canadian tour, Kate wore a plain, gray dress on July 2. The somber dress was Kate's way of honoring the 50th birthday of her husband's deceased mother, Princess Diana, said The Guardian.  

As for the trip's itinerary, the couple began in Ottawa, Canada and travelled to Gatineau and Montreal shortly after.  On July 3, they visited Quebec City for a short time before continuing on to Prince Edward Island for a little friendly couple competition in a dragon boat rowing race. 

While fans and supporters welcomed the young couple with open arms, there were some protesters with signs demanding the "royal parasites" to go home.  

But for the most part the couple was warmly greeted by thousands of Canadians as they continued their trip to Yellowknife, which is in the northern Canada.

The last stretch of the trip is planned to be in Calgary, where Kate's grandfather, Peter Middleton, lived while he taught members of the Royal Air Force how to fly planes during World War Two, reports The Star.