The royals, who began a three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia on April 7, visited a memorial at the site of the CTV building, which collapsed in the disaster, killing 115.

After meeting the families of victims they attended a service at the city's "cardboard cathedral", a structure made of cardboard tubes that award-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban designed to replace the 1881 Anglican cathedral destroyed in the quake.

The royals will leave for Australia on Wednesday.

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.

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