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Public life
At the age of 21, Prince William was appointed a Counsellor of State, with the ability to delegate functions on behalf of the Queen. Upon graduation from university, William began royal duties, participating in official events, engagements, and overseas tours. In July 2005, he embarked on his first solo overseas tour, travelling to New Zealand to participate in World War II commemorations on behalf of his grandmother. Reportedly, William had expressed a desire to become Governor-General of Australia; Prime Minister John Howard expressed his wish for the position to be held by an Australian citizen. In 2009, the Queen set up a private office for William with David Manning as his adviser. In 2010, William visited New Zealand and Australia as part of an effort to increase his public engagements; he opened the Supreme Court building, was received by a Māori chief at Kapiti Island, met with survivors of 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, toured nature reserves, and reviewed defense troops. The visit spurred crowds of "many thousands", with positive public reception compared to that of Diana's 1983 tour. Following the trip, William was said to have "done more to set back the republican cause than anything since the 1999 referendum". Prince William returned to the region the following year in the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and flooding in Queensland and Victoria, meeting with survivors and speaking at the memorial service at Hagley Park on behalf of his grandmother.



Now Duke of Cambridge, he met with U.S President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace alongside his wife in May, at the start of their state visit to the UK. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge toured Canada in summer 2011. The couple attended Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill, while the Duke delivered speeches at Quebec City Hall and Northwest Territories, the former entirely in French and the latter including phrases from the Na-Dene and Inuvialuktun languages.. William and Catherine also visited museums, hospitals, colleges, and members of the armed forces. Following initial public indifference the couple drew crowds of up to half a million and were praised for their relateability, with William referred "comfortably" to as a prince of Canada by the CBC. William and Catherine served as ambassadors for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, attending sporting events throughout the games. In September 2012, they toured Singapore, Malaysia, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, meeting foreign dignitaries and participating in cultural events. The Duke and Duchess attended further commemorations of the Jubilee throughout the year, including the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in July.

The Duke hosted his first investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in October 2013, an "an extension of the Duke of Cambridge's public duties" after leaving the Royal Air Force. In 2014, William and Catherine undertook their first tour alongside their son, Prince George, visiting New Zealand and Australia.