Los Angeles ( CNN ) -- Before Prince William and his wife , Catherine , left Los Angeles to return to London on Sunday , they got their hands dirty with paint and putty at a children 's art center and shook hands with military veterans looking for work . `` On behalf of us both , how grateful we are to have been welcomed so warmly in the Golden State and City of Angels , '' Prince William said at the last stop of the royal couple 's three-day Southern California visit . A giant Union Jack flag and an equally large American flag served as the backdrop inside Sony Studios ' sound stage 15 as Prince William addressed 1,500 military veterans , their spouses and recruiters from 150 companies Sunday afternoon . The cavernous building is where scenes for the `` Wizard of Oz , '' `` Spider Man '' and many other movies were filmed . William called the ServiceNation job fair `` one of the seriously most important '' of the many events during their 12-day North American tour . `` This is because it 's about men and women , who with their own free will , choose to put their life on the line for their country , '' William said . `` They are on the front line of a remarkable relationship between the United Kingdom , the United States and Canada , which has safeguarded our freedom for a century . '' The problem of unemployment among former military families will `` be raised monumentally by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge being here , '' said U.S. Chamber of Commerce Vice President Kevin Schmiegel , one of the job fair organizers . `` Prince William is the most recognizable military officer in the world , '' Schmiegel said . `` So , I think if they look at the portfolio of things that they 're interested in raising awareness about , it makes sense that he is interested in this . '' William said the job fair 's mission is `` very immediate and personal to us . Catherine and I both have friends back in Britain who could benefit from an initiative like this . '' Earlier Sunday , William and Catherine spent an hour in Los Angeles ' low-income Skid Row neighborhood with children at the Inner-City Arts Center . Each got their hands dirty creating their own art . `` What the hell is that ? '' William asked Catherine as he looked at her artwork . His wife was painting a snail as she sat among a group of fifth-graders . `` That 's amazing , '' Catherine said to children as she admired their work in a ceramics class . The royal newlyweds left a lasting impression at the center , literally . They each put their hands onto a board of putty , leaving ceramic imprints for future visitors to see . Their whirlwind weekend in Southern California was designed to be a combination of commerce and charity missions for the royal couple . Weekend events included the prince 's participation in a polo competition in Carpinteria , California , on Saturday afternoon . Prince William and his team won the match after he scored four goals in the final game . His reward ? A sterling silver and gold trophy along with a kiss by his wife . Proceeds from the match go to a foundation supported by the prince and his brother , Harry , that helps disadvantaged youth , sustainable development and military families . The royal couple has had a busy stay , which included a meeting with thespians and Hollywood 's elite during an event by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on Saturday night . While Beverly Hills is the land of the famous , the visit by the recently married couple has caused a major stir . Spago , Wolfgang Puck 's restaurant , offered a British menu for the duration , including dishes served during the royal wedding festivities . The Beverly Hills eatery added Yorkshire pudding to its menu for the weekend . Not to be outdone , the city 's famously aggressive paparazzi tried to pursue the newlyweds at a private party at the British consul general 's Hollywood home . Neighbors near the residence , where the royals also spent the night , gave police permission to arrest photographers caught on private property . The California visit ends the 10-day North American tour that began in Canada . CNN 's Michael Martinez contributed to this report .
Sunday : Catherine tells the ` ` how grateful we are '' for the warm welcome . ` ` That 's amazing , '' Catherine tells young people on Skid ##more . They met with military veterans at a county fair Sunday afternoon . California visit was a celebration of commerce and charity .