Prince William, wife Kate and baby George arrive in Sydney to kick off Down Under tour

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their son the day after his birth (Wikipedia photo)

SYDNEY, Australia – Britain’s Prince William, his wife, Kate, and their baby son, George, arrived in sunny Sydney on Wednesday to the cheers of thousands of fans as they kicked off their tour of Australia.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge landed in Sydney after wrapping up a 10-day trip around New Zealand. They were greeted by various dignitaries, including Prime Minister Tony Abbott, before being whisked off to the city’s famed Opera House.

Crowds of screaming fans, some waving Australian flags, lined the pathway around the Opera House to catch a glimpse of the couple as they walked up the iconic building’s steps. The pair paused briefly to take in the views of the sun-dappled harbour and Harbour Bridge before heading inside for a welcome reception.

The royal family is on a three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia.

While in Australia, they will visit the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, meet some local wildlife at the city’s harbourside zoo, and travel to Uluru, the iconic Outback sandstone monolith that’s also known as Ayers Rock.