Before Prince William and Kate Middleton ended their North American tour, the royal couple had one last appearance to make—one that William dubbed their "most important.'
At the Service Nation: Mission Serve event Sunday afternoon in Culver City, William addressed the crowd with a gracious speech in which he thanked members of the military for their service, and California locals for their hospitality:
"This is the last event on our tour of North America, but to my mind, it is one of the most important," William told the crowd. "This is because it is about men and women who—of their own freewill—choose to put their life on the line for their Country. They are the front line of a remarkable relationship between the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, which has safe-guarded our freedoms for a century. But Mission Serve is about something more than just men and women in uniform. It is about our other halves. The half that makes the loved one's duty and sacrifices possible and worthwhile. It is about you: families, partners and friends."
And that wasn't all. Here's what else the Duke said:
"The idea behind Service Nation Mission Serve, an initiative strongly supported by The First Lady and Dr. Biden, is simple, but truly inspirational. To help those returning from active service to open a new chapter in their lives and find employment when they retire from the military. Service Nation Mission Serve, and all the companies and employers taking part today, are providing opportunities which mean something very immediate and personal to us. Catherine and I both have friends back in Britain who could benefit from a brilliant initiative like this. As this is my last opportunity before we leave this afternoon, I would just say, on behalf of us both, how grateful we are to have been welcomed so warmly in the Golden State and the City of Angels. Thank you so much."
Soon after the event, the couple headed for home. Couldn't they have stayed just a little longer?