Speaking at the opening of the 99th Calgary Stampede but at the close of his Canadian tour, Prince William promised that he and his wife Kate "shall return."

"Canada has far surpassed all that we were promised," the Duke of Cambridge said, sporting a white cowboy hat, western shirt and jeans.

With Kate at his side, who was also draped head-to-toe in western regalia, the duke said the couple's past week throughout Canada "exceeded all our expectations."

"We have seen how geographical diversity is matched by the diversity of the people we have met: Anglophone and Francophone, First Nation and new immigrant," he said.

The duke was introduced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who toasted the couple with the highest praise.

"I say, we haven't seen a love-in like that since the first visit of the Beatles," Harper said of the couple's reception throughout Canada

Harper also announced a Parks Canada youth ambassador program named after the couple. The program will allow two young people to tour Canada's parks and promote their experiences over social media.

William and Kate arrived at the reception in a stagecoach and watched some rodeo events, including bull riding and the chuckwagons.

The royal couple touched down at the city's airport at 5 p.m. local time, where they were greeted by a group of about 100 well-wishers, and local officials including Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach.

The couple were also presented with white cowboy hats -- a ceremony that is similar to receiving the keys to the city. However, they opted out of wearing cowboy hats on the tarmac, apparently due to windy conditions.

But when they arrived at the Stampede, the hats were donned, cooling the criticism of some online who thought they snubbed Calgary by not wearing the hats right away.

The royals accepted the gifts "with magnanimity," Nenshi said.

William isn't the first member of the Royal Family to be presented with the iconic white hat. Prince Philip, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward have all received one. So have Pope John Paul II, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Oprah Winfrey, Luciano Pavarotti, and Ozzie Osbourne, among many others.

The hats made for William and Kate are said to be top of the line, made of white beaver fur felt with a silk lining.

Kate wore a yellow primrose dress cut above the knee, and was presented with flowers by a six-year-old girl. The Make-a-Wish Foundation had arranged for the girl, a cancer patient, to help welcome the royals.

The couple then moved on to tour a high-tech laboratory at the University of Calgary. They will then attend an evening reception on the Stampede grounds with host Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

William and Kate are set to open the Stampede parade on Friday, and the prince may even take part in a chuckwagon race during their stay.

The couple touched down in Calgary after spending time alone at the remote Skoki Lodge, a backcountry locale near Lake Louise.

The Skoki Lodge is accessible only by an 11-kilometre hike, and the Duke and Duchess spent much of their time exploring the area on foot, according to the couple's press secretary.

It also seems the lodge, which consists of one main building and three private cabins, recently underwent upgrades. Until the fix-ups, there had been no electricity or running water. But CTV Calgary learned that at least one of the cabins now includes a full bathroom.

High demand for Stampede wristbands

About 1,500 Calgarians lined up on Wednesday to try to score free wristbands that will grant access to tonight's events on the Stampede grounds. They also waited for wristbands that will allow them to watch the couple's departure ceremony on Friday.

The wristbands were handed out at 8 a.m. Wednesday, but people started lining up on Tuesday morning. It didn't take long before the wristbands were snapped up.

But shortly after closing, people were selling the free bands online. Some of the ads popped up on classified sites like Kijiji for as much as $300 a piece.

Chris Lonsdale told CTV News he spent the night in line to get two wristbands. He posted them online and had a buyer within an hour.

"We hope to put on a bit of a show that will give them the flavour of what the Stampede and what Western heritage is all about," Mike Casey, the president of the Calgary Stampede told CTV's Canada AM Thursday morning.

He says the couple is going to try out a chuckwagon, and watch a kids' event called "mutton bustin'". They're also going to watch some bull riding and then take part in Western line dancing.

"So I think they're going to get a little sense of what Stampede is all about and what living out here is all about."

With files from The Canadian Press