William, Kate and George wave goodbye to Australia after war memorial service[ PA/AP]The couple were left “bowled over” by the warmth of their welcome in both countries, Kensington Palace said.
A royal spokesman said: “The tour of New Zealand and Australia has been an incredible experience for both the Duke and Duchess and the couple really have enjoyed it immensely.
“We always said this would be an opportunity for the Duke to introduce both countries to the Duchess and Prince George and the couple have been bowled over by the extraordinarily warm welcome shown to them as a family by people everywhere they went.”
Almost three weeks after receiving a ceremonial welcome in the New Zealand capital of Wellington, William and Kate ended the longest royal tour in a generation marking the most solemn day in Australia’s year.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George depart Canberra on the Royal Australian Air Force [PA]The tour of New Zealand and Australia has been an incredible experience for both the Duke and Duchess and the couple really have enjoyed it immensely
Watched by thousands, the royal couple attended two military ceremonies honouring Australia’s war dead, a pre-dawn service and then one in mid-morning, both at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Their first appearance at 5am was a surprise.
Palace officials claimed it was a last-minute decision but Australian officials said they had known for some time that the Duke, and in the last few days, the Duchess would attend.
In the shadow of the memorial, an imposing sandstone-clad Byzantine style building with a copper-covered dome, they stood with others.
Stretching out beneath them from the impressive building and down towards Parliament House, tens of thousands of veterans, their families and members of the public had gathered in the darkness to pay tribute.
Some sat with candles, while William, Kate and the others in the official party had small torches to read the order of service.
Later in the morning the Duke and Duchess attended the main Anzac Day ceremony.
Serving military veterans marched past William standing alongside Australia's Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove, who took precedence and the salute as the Queen’s representative in the country.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (C, back) bids farewell to George [EPA]
Kate, William and George left Australia this morning [PA]She had been given the brooch the night before by Emma Roberts-Smith, wife of Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith, one of three surviving Australians who won the Victoria Cross in Afghanistan.
All three were at the parade along with the country’s other surviving VC holder, Keith Payne, who won his medal serving in Vietnam.
The 80-year-old got out of his wheelchair to take part in the march past and was then helped up some steps by the other three VC holders to the applause of the crowd.
Hymns were sung and wreaths were laid at the Stone of Remembrance by the royal couple, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Sir Peter and other leading figures and groups from Australian life.
Anzac derives from the acronym used to describe the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
Duchess of Cambridge, gives Prince George a kiss [EPA]Stiff Turkish resistance led to one of the Allies' greatest disasters. The campaign involved more than 500,000 Allied troops - and saw tens of thousands of them killed including more than 8,000 from Australia.
After the ceremony in the parade ground the royal couple walked the short distance to the memorial's Hall of Memory where they laid posies on the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.
After the Duke and Duchess had paid their respects at the tomb of the unknown soldier, they toured the corridor inscribed with the names of those who died in The First World War.
The royal couple then signed their names in the visitors' books and were presented with a photograph of the Duke of Gloucester planting a pine sapling, propagated from a tree from Gallipoli, in 1934.
Kate planted a pine seedling derived from seeds gathered at Gallipoli [AP]
The couple attended the ANZAC March and Commemorative Service [PA]The tour of New Zealand and Australia has been an incredible experience for both the Duke and Duchess and the couple really have enjoyed it immensely
Dr Brendan Nelson, director of the war memorial, told the Duke and Duchess that Gallipoli was the "bloodiest campaign in Australia's history".
He added: "We'd like to present you with a number of gifts that mean a lot to us, the image is of Duke of Gloucester ceremoniously planting the pine."
When he was presented with the Victoria Cross replica, William said: "Wow that's fantastic".
The couple chatted to all four Victoria Cross recipients including Mr Payne.
In 1969 he was commanding the 212th Company of the 1st Mobile Strike Force Battalion when it was attacked by a strong North Vietnamese force.
The couple made a previously-unannounced appearance in the darkness [REUTERS]
William, 31, wore his two medals given for service to his grandmother the Queen [REUTERS]He found some 40 comrades, brought some in himself and organised the rescue of the others, leading the party back to base through enemy-dominated terrain.
Mr Payne was invested with his Victoria Cross by the the Queen on the Royal Yacht Britannia in Brisbane in April 1970.
The old soldier shared a joke with William and said the Duke had told him: "I've been hearing some stories about you."
The veteran said: "I don't know what he's been hearing, but I bet it's all good."
He added: "For the royals to come out and visit is absolutely great, especially the younger generation.
"I've seen the tour on TV as they moved around, the new generation is a little more casual - but still very royal. I think that's a great thing for Australia.
"Australia doesn't have too much of the class thing so it's great for them to be more relaxed and a little bit more down to earth."
Kate chats to war veteran Keith Payne [EPA]WATCH
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