Photo Credit: Hagen Hopkins/Getty

I’ll admit it: I’ve been suffering from Duchess Kate fatigue recently.

I don’t know what did me in: maybe it was the baby-making, maybe it was the increasingly dowdy, Queen-approved outfits, or maybe it was the simple fact that we haven’t seen as much of her recently. Whatever the case, I wasn’t feeling the Duch and was craving a little royalty sparkle.

But then she flew to Australia and New Zealand yesterday with Prince William and Baby George, and all was forgiven. William, Kate and George in two of my favorite countries?! Yes.

I spent most of the day tracking their movements breathlessly on Twitter.

Photo Credit: Mirrorpix/Splash News Online

“Ooh! They’ve landed in Sydney…Oh no! It’s raining in Wellington! They might be diverted!..Rejoice! They’ve arrived!” and so on.

E. was mystified by my excitement. When I’d finished giving him the fifth update as to their whereabouts in about two hours, I think he was ready to stage an intervention.

Photo Credit: Mirrorpix/Splash News Online

But lo! Look what we have as a reward! It was all made worth it by these adorable photos of Prince George–who looks exactly like both William and Kate did as babies–not to mention two outfit changes from Duchess Kate.

Prince George’s nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo also made her first public appearance
Photo Credit: Michael Dunlea/Barcroft Media/Landov 

The traditional Maori “Haka” war cry greeting that awaited William and Kate at Government House

William’s looking a bit old, isn’t he?

A few hours earlier, the royals touched down in Sydney in different clothes after a TWENTY TWO HOUR AND FORTY FIVE MINUTE Qantas flight from London (which briefly stopped in Dubai to refuel). Kate and George both looked remarkably fresh after a nearly 23 hour flight, which is impressive…until you learn that the Cambridge family bought the entire first class section. FYI, seats for two adults and one child in First Class on this Qantas flight go for around £16,000 round trip. That’s about $26,700. There are 14 “suites” in First Class on the Qantas A380 that William and Kate flew. You do the math.

Photo Credit: Media Mode

THIS is what First Class looks like. (Read more about it here.)

Photo Credit: Qantas

No wonder they looked so refreshed!

The family will be in Australia and New Zealand for the next three weeks, and while I’m less than thrilled by their itinerary (I would have picked different locations and activities for them, but Kensington Palace forgot to consult me) I’m hoping the rediscovered royal excitement will sustain.